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12 May 2006 : Column 652W—continued
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to encourage pregnant women to wear seat belts; and if he will make a statement; [70366]
(2) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the risks to unborn babies in a car crash; and if he will make a statement. [70367]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department recently published a new leaflet aimed at all pregnant women as part of the THINK! campaign seatbelt strategy to engage with audiences that are more difficult to reach with a particular message through mainstream media channels.
The aim of the leaflet is to educate mothers-to-be on the importance of wearing a seatbelt correctly to protect themselves and their unborn baby and to promote messages on child car seats. The leaflet will be distributed to 4000 doctors' surgeries across the UK and will be displayed prominently on countertops and tables in waiting areas. The leaflet is available on-line at www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/seatbelts/pregnant.htm
Pregnant women are required in law to use seat belts. A doctor may exempt any person from seatbelt wearing if there is a medical reason for such an exemption.
The Department has not undertaken its own studies as there is research elsewhere that adequately demonstrates the risks to mothers and unborn children in a car crash.
Road Traffic Act
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amendments have been made to the Road Traffic Act 1988; for what purpose; and when. [70067]
Dr. Ladyman: The Road Traffic Act 1988 has been amended on many occasions by subsequent primary and secondary legislation. A breakdown of all these amendments, their purpose and when they came into effect, could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, several organisations publish consolidated versions of the Act, which also document the amendments. One of these, Butterworths, is available online to Members of this House.
Royal Helicopter
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 5 April 2006, on the Royal Helicopter, if he will make a statement on flights by Prince Andrew to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews since 1 January 2004. [68510]
Gillian Merron: There have been no helicopter flights by HRH The Duke of York to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club since 1 January 2004.
Transport Projects
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial value is assigned by his Department to each hour of time saved when undertaking cost benefit analysis of transport projects; and if he will make a statement. [70522]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department provides guidance on the values that should be used in undertaking cost benefit analysis of all routine transport projects. It also provides guidance on how the values should be assumed to increase through time.
The published values differ according to whether the transport user benefiting from the time savings is travelling in the course of work or in their leisure time. To reflect the empirical evidence, values for leisure time differ according to whether or not the travel time savings is for a commuting trip. The values for work differ by transport mode. The reason for this is that the work values are based on the cost savings to the employer and this average saving differs between modes.
The average value placed on time saved in work time in the cost benefit analysis of routine transport schemes is equal to £26.73 an hour in 2002 prices and values. The value placed on commuting time savings is equal to £5.04 an hour (in 2002 prices and values) and the value placed on time saved in the course of all other leisure trips is £4.46 an hour (in 2002 prices and values).
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial value is assigned by his Department to each life saved when undertaking cost benefit analysis of major transport infrastructure projects; whether that value is applied to all other appraisals undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [70523]
Dr. Ladyman: The most recent values used to estimate the benefits of the prevention of road accidents are set out in the “Highways Economic Note No. 1: 2004 Valuation of the Benefits of Prevention of Road Accidents and Casualties” which can be found on the DfT website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_610642.hcsp
There is no formal value set for measures affecting aviation and maritime transport.
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