| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
18 Apr 2006 : Column 58W—continued
Road Safety
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which driving while smoking is dangerous. [63128]
Dr. Ladyman: Specific research has not been undertaken. However, the Department is aware that any distraction, such as eating and drinking or smoking while driving, can be dangerous.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road deaths have been attributed to drivers (a) using their mobile phones, (b) smoking, (c) speeding and (d) not wearing seatbelts in each year since 1997. [63129]
18 Apr 2006 : Column 59W
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures the Department takes to identify drivers who drive while (a) on mobile phones, (b) not wearing seatbelts and (c) speeding. [63130]
Dr. Ladyman: The enforcement of road traffic laws is a matter for the police, working in partnership with local authorities and other local enforcement agencies. Drivers who commit offences are identified by various means. Police also use the powers of section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This requires the registered keeper of a vehicle or any other person to identify a driver suspected of an offence.
Road Traffic Regulations
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the operation of the (a) Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982, (b) Motor Vehicles (Speed Units on Motorways) Regulations 1973 and (c) Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1996. [62876]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is as follows.
(a) The Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982 comprise a concise set of well established provisions to facilitate safe and efficient driving and behaviour on motorways. The requirements within the regulations are conveyed to road users in simple terms in the Highway Code. In response to changing circumstances, these regulations have been subject to periodic amendment.
(b) The Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973 specify speed limits for certain classes of vehicles when being driven on the motorway.
(c) The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1996 implemented Directive 91/439/EEC on Driving Licences. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency ensures the operation of the regulations by issuing licences compliant with the directive specification for EC harmonised categories, and by applying to applicants in Great Britain agreed European standards of medical fitness to drive.
Road User Legislation
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on amending (a) the London Local Authority Act 2000 and (b) the Road User (Charges and Penalty) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement. [62695]
Dr. Ladyman: Ministers and officials have engaged with a range of key stakeholders in considering changes to the London Local Authority Act and the Road User Regulations, including Transport for London and the British Vehicle Leasing Association (BVLA).
The Department for Transport will be taking forward regulations to implement the provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 concerned with bus lanes and moving traffic offences which should rectify the problems within the London Local Authorities Act.
Royal Travel
Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will report on the environmental impacts
18 Apr 2006 : Column 60W
taken into account by the royal family in determining their mode of transport in the annual report on the grant-in-aid for royal travel by air and rail. [63140]
Derek Twigg: In deciding the appropriate mode of travel for any journey which is official travel, the royal household are required to have regard to the following key criteria:
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to page 103 of the grant in aid for royal travel by air and rail, annual report 2004–05, how many and what percentage of the royal household were of ethnic minority origin in 2004–05; and what positions each held. [63141]
Derek Twigg: The Department does not hold any diversity or ethnicity information about staff employed by the royal household.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on the use of the Queen's helicopter by members of the royal family for private purposes. [63145]
Derek Twigg: The royal helicopter is not permitted to be used by members of the royal family for private purposes.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions in 2004–05 when the royal train was used other than by members of the royal family. [63147]
Derek Twigg: None. All journeys made by the royal train in 2004–05 were made by HM the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh or HRH the Prince of Wales.
Seat Belts
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the seat belt wearing rate was in (a) Southend, (b) Essex and (c) the Metropolitan Police Area of London (i) in the last period for which figures are available and (ii) in each month since 1990. [62877]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport does not collect data on seat belt wearing rates on a monthly basis or by locality. TRL Ltd undertakes surveys on behalf of the Department twice yearly at selected sites and weighting is applied to produce a national figure. The most recently published report, LF2096, is available online at: TRL website at: http://www.trl.co.uk/store/report_detail.asp?srid=4977&pid=211
Small Firms
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what definition the Department uses of a small firm. [59276]
18 Apr 2006 : Column 61W
Derek Twigg: The Department does not provide a precise definition of a small firm" in its guidance, but where appropriate, refers to the definition provided by the Small Business Service. In particular, the Department collects information about its suppliers for the Small Business Service using the following categories:
Sustainable Building
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the Department's building programme budget was allocated to (a) energy self-generation and (b) water recycling measures in the last financial year. [58754]
Derek Twigg: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport is planning to build a new print site in the Swansea area. Of the £12 million build costs, £15,000– £20,000 has been allocated for the inclusion of water recycling measures.
The Department will examine what scope there is for further action in this area as part of the review of theFramework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate and once the revised targets have been published.
Traffic Congestion
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the change in the economic costs of traffic congestion in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [62689]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |