Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 18 May 2006
Transport
Air Emergency
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport after the emergency landing at Heathrow on 24 April 2004 by Boeing 747-132, registration N481 EV, whether the aircraft was boarded by any official from a UK agency; and whether the cargo was inspected. [64058]
Gillian Merron: The Boeing 747-132, call sign Evergreen, was diverted to Heathrow after encountering engine trouble on 24 April 2004. Only the police, immigration and customs officials have powers to board aircraft in situations such as this.
I am advised by my colleagues at the Home Office and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs that neither immigration service nor customs officials boarded the Evergreen aircraft or inspected its cargo.
I understand that police at London Heathrow are searching their records to determine whether this aircraft was boarded by uniformed officers, but that this process can take some time. The Home Secretary has undertaken to write to the hon. Gentleman with the relevant information once these investigations have been completed.
Air Freight
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many air freight flights were recorded (a) to and (b) from (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) Stansted airports in each of the last five years; and what freight tonnage this represented in each case. [71350]
Gillian Merron: The number of cargo flights and freight tonnage recorded to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for last five years are as follows:
| Cargo Flights | ||||||||||
| Number | ||||||||||
| Arrival | Departure | |||||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Cargo | ||||||||||
| Tonnes | ||||||||||
| Set down | Picked up | |||||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Source: Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) airports statistics excludes charter cargo services when aircraft type below 15 tonnes maximum takeoff weight authorised (air taxi type) |
Aircraft Safety
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 2 May 2006, Official Report, column 1462W, on airports, how many of the near misses that were recorded over Northern Ireland airspace in each of the last five years related to flights into or out of (a) Belfast International, (b) Belfast City and (c) Londonderry airports. [70495]
Gillian Merron: During the five years from 2001 to 2005 inclusive seven Airprox incidents involving commercial air transport aircraft in airspace over Northern Ireland were reported to the UK Airprox Board for assessment. These can be broken down as follows.
| Breakdown by airport (with Airprox report number) | Number of Airprox incidents | |
|
Belfast City (031/2005) Belfast City (150/2005) Belfast City (166/2005) |
All seven events were reviewed and categorised by the UK Airprox Board as being Category C (where no risk of collision existed). The Airprox reference number for each incident is given in the table. Final reports on each event are available, if required, on the UK Airprox Board's website at www.airproxboard.org.uk .
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 2 May 2006, Official Report, column 1462W, on airports, how many near misses were recorded in mainland Great Britain airports relating to flights departing from Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [70496]
Gillian Merron: During the five years from 2001 to 2005 inclusive there were nine Airprox incidents recorded over Great Britain relating to flights departing from airports in Northern Ireland.
These can be broken down by year as follows:
| Airprox Board Reference (and risk category) | Number of incidents | |
All nine events were reviewed by the UK Airprox Board. The Airprox reference number and risk category for each incident is given above. Of the nine incidents, two were categorised as “risk bearing” Airprox in which safety was not assured (a “risk bearing” Airprox is one that falls into category A or B). Final reports on each event are available, if required, on the UK Airprox Board’s website at www.airproxboard.org.uk.
British Transport Police
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the British Transport police authority on its financial management; whether he plans changes thereto; and if he will make a statement. [71555]
Derek Twigg: Ministers meet the chair of the British Transport police (BTP) authority as necessary to discuss issues affecting the BTP.
Since its establishment on 1 July 2004, the authority has provided funds to BTP to enable it to review and update its key central support systems, policies, and processes including risk management, business continuity, procurement, human resources and payroll.
As part of this review, BTP’s finance department has been reorganised, restructured, and strengthened with the objective of improving financial management throughout BTP.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to improve the financial management arrangements of the executive agencies that report to his Department; and if he will make a statement. [71429]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 17 May 2006]: Agency accounting officers are responsible for financial management under the terms of their agreed framework documents. The Department has taken a number of steps to co-ordinate and encourage improvement initiatives, including the establishment of a Group Finance Committee, a new shared services centre providing finance and human resources services for the whole organisation, and Group Internal Audit Assurances.
Galileo Service
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the European Union on China’s involvement in the Galileo service. [71571]
Dr. Ladyman: There have been no discussions at ministerial level specifically about Chinese involvement. Officials at the Department for Transport regularly discuss the involvement of non-European Union countries, including China, in meetings with the Commission and other member states.
Heathrow
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to consult on the ending of mixed-mode landings and runway alternation at Heathrow; and if he will make a statement. [72187]
Gillian Merron: I refer to the statement made by the Under-Secretary of State for Transport my hon. Friend the Member for Halton (Derek Twigg) on 17 March 2006, Official Report, column 117WS.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding Staffordshire county council received from his Department (a) in total, (b) per mile of road and (c) per head of population in each year since 1997-98. [71227]
Gillian Merron: The following table shows the total funding allocated to Staffordshire county council in the local transport capital settlements between 1997-98 and 2005-06 (inclusive) in terms of totals, per mile of road, and per head of population.
| Staffordshire county council | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| (1) The population and road mileage for the year 2004 have been used in the calculations, the road mileage being 3,860 miles and the population 812,600. |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |