Written Answers to Questions
Monday 15 May 2006
Transport
Aviation Security
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether military air bases handling civilian flights on an occasional basis are deemed to meet the requirements of the National Aviation Security Programme by virtue of their military status; [70528]
(2) whether military air bases handling incoming civilian flights on an occasional basis are required fully to meet the requirements of the National Aviation Security Programme. [70529]
Gillian Merron: All UK airports, whether civil or military, from which are operated flights regulated under the National Aviation Security Programme, must meet the requirements of the programme, and are subject to routine inspection, audits and tests by the Department for Transport. Incoming flights will need to have met the requirements of their airport of departure. Military airports are not deemed to have met the requirements of the National Aviation Security Programme simply by virtue of their military status.
European Directive
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy on directive 2003/20/EC; when the directive will be implemented in England and Wales; and what consultation he has undertaken on the provisions of the directive. [70401]
Dr. Ladyman: We are implementing directive 2003/20/EC. We will lay draft regulations for approval before both Houses of Parliament as soon as possible and if approved we aim to bring them into force in September 2006.
Public consultation in respect of the requirements in buses and coaches was published on 21 September 2004. The Department's decision following that consultation was published on 19 July 2005.
Public consultation in respect of the requirements for greater use of child restraints in cars and goods vehicles was published on 13 June 2005. The Department's decision following consultation was published on27 February 2006. These documents have been placed in the Library and are also available on the Department's website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_ rdsafety/documents/divisionhomepage/039143 .hcsp and
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_control/documents/contentservertemplate/dft_index.hcst?n= 13759&1=2 respectively.
Highway Code
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions he has in place to assess the level of adherence to the Highway Code by cyclists; and if he will make a statement. [70198]
Dr. Ladyman: We do not have any provisions in place to assess the level of adherence to the Highway Code by cyclists. Road traffic law and The Highway Code apply as much to cyclists as anyone else. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police. They can prosecute cyclists who ride dangerously, carelessly, ignore traffic signsor signals, cycle on the pavement or commitany other road traffic offence. These offences carry maximum fines between £500 and £2,500. Also,£30 fixed penalty notices can be issued for cycling on the pavement, by police and community wardens.
Road Safety
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has had with Governments in (a) Italy, (b) Spain, (c) Portugal and (d) Austria on the effects on road safety of compulsory reflective vests for car drivers leaving their vehicles following a breakdown or accident; and if he will make a statement; [70345]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of deaths and serious injuries that have been prevented by the requirement in law in (a) Italy, (b) Spain, (c) Portugal and (d) Austria for drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicles at the roadside following a breakdown or accident; and if he will make a statement; [70357]
(3) whether the Government submitted an opinion on the notification by Italy in the Official Journal of the European Union of its intention to require car drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicle at the roadside following accidents or breakdowns (notice number 2003/357/1); [70358]
(4) if he will commission research to evaluate the effectiveness of the requirement in (a) Italy, (b) Spain, (c) Portugal and (d) Austria for drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicle at the roadside in the event of a breakdown or accident; and if he will make a statement; [70359]
(5) if he will commission a cost-benefit analysis of a requirement to wear reflective vests for car drivers who leave their car at the roadside following an accident or breakdown; and if he will make a statement. [70383]
Dr. Ladyman: No discussions have been entered into with other Governments, or opinions submitted upon, the benefits for road safety of compulsory reflective vests for car drivers leaving their vehicles following a breakdown or accident.
We will continue to monitor experience in other countries that introduce legislation requiring drivers to wear reflective vests when leaving their vehicles at the roadside following a breakdown or accident. If clear evidence starts to emerge that it is beneficial, we would look again at the need to legislate.
House of Commons Commission
Educational Materials
Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission
if he will list the material produced by (a) the House of Commons Information Office and (b) the Education Unit for (i) schools and (ii) individual pupils; and if he will make a statement. [70365]
Nick Harvey: The following tables show the information requested:
The Information Office also updates a range of material on the parliamentary website, including Frequently Asked Questions, lists of Members (by constituency, party, county/unitary authority), membership of all-party subject and country groups, members of the Government and party spokespeople.
Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what plans the House of Commons Information Office has to produce new factsheets; how many factsheets
were sent to members of the public in each of the last three years; how members of the public may obtain copies; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [70364]
Nick Harvey: The House of Commons Information Office publishes 65 factsheets covering a range of parliamentary, legislative and procedural topics. These are currently being reviewed to ensure that they continue to address the queries most commonly raised by members of the public, and in line with planned changes to the parliamentary website. The Information Office would be pleased to receive suggestions from Members and their constituents for suitable subjects for inclusion in future factsheets.
The following table shows the number of factsheets that have been sent to the public, or downloaded from the parliamentary website, for each of the last three years:
| Financial year | |||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1) Figures include factsheets downloaded by users of the Parliamentary Network as well as members of the public. |
Members of the public can obtain factsheets, free of charge, by contacting the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272 (email: hcinfo@parliament.uk) or, alternatively, downloading them from the parliamentary website (www.parliament.uk).
IT Equipment
Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) how often information technology equipment is renewed for (a) hon. Members and (b) each Department of the House; and if he will make a statement; [70282]
(2) when information technology equipment was last renewed in each Department of the House. [70283]
Nick Harvey: Information technology equipment for staff of the House is now renewed every four years as part of a rolling programme to maximise the return on the investment. There is therefore no single renewal date. For Members, information technology equipment is currently renewed each Parliament, providing this is near to or longer than four years.
Reserved Seating (Officials)
Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many seats are reserved for (a) staff and (b) advisers of (i) the Government and (ii) Opposition parties on (A) the Floor of the House and (B) the Floor of Standing Committees; and how many there were in (1) 1979, (2) 1997 and (3) 2001. [70404]
Nick Harvey: On the Floor of the House the Government has the use of eight seats in the Officials
Box and two seats in the Under Gallery. The Opposition parties have the use of four seats in the Under Gallery. On the floor of Standing Committees the Government have the use of between four and eight seats depending on the size of the Committee Room. There are no seats reserved for advisers or staff of Opposition parties. The House authorities are not aware of any change in these arrangements since 1979.
Weekly Information Bulletin
Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many copies of the House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin were (a) published and (b) sold in each of the last three Sessions for which information is available. [70363]
Nick Harvey: The number of (a) editions published and (b) copies sold of the House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin sold in the present Session to date and two previous Sessions is as follows:
| Editions published | Copies sold | |
| (1) To Edition 33. |
Solicitor-General
Prosecutions
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases put forward by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last five years (a) resulted in a prosecution and (b) did not result in a prosecution. [69745]
The Solicitor-General: The number and proportion in these two categories was as follows:
| Cases prosecuted | Cases not prosecuted | |||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |