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10 July 2006 : Column 1416W—continued
Hugh Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Marine Accident Investigation Board has made of the number of people (a) killed and (b) injured in (i) recreational and (ii)
non-recreational marine craft in each of the past five years; and in how many of these cases alcohol was identified as a contributory factor. [83517]
Dr. Ladyman: The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2005 only place a requirement to report accidents involving recreational craft if they are being commercially operated. However, the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents may investigate accidents involving privately-owned craft if they are brought to his attention.
Details of all accidents reported to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch are contained on its database. Statistics for deaths and injuries for both recreational and non-recreational craft for the past five years are shown in the following table:
| Recreational craft (non-commercial) | All other vessels | |||
| Deaths | Injuries | Deaths | Injuries | |
The second table contains numbers of deaths and injuries where alcohol was positively identified as a contributory factor:
| Recreational craft (non-commercial) | All other vessels | |||
| Deaths | Injuries | Deaths | Injuries | |
Dangerous Vehicles
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department (a) has undertaken, (b) plans to undertake and (c) has evaluated on the number of vehicles driven in a dangerous condition; and if he will make a statement. [83768]
Dr. Ladyman: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) carries out fleet compliance surveys on an annual basis. Vehicles are stopped randomly at the roadside and any found to be in a dangerous condition are issued with an immediate prohibition notice which prevents the vehicle from being driven any further until the defects have been rectified.
As vehicles are stopped and checked at random, we can use the results of the survey to estimate the proportion of vehicles in the entire fleet that may be being driven in a dangerous condition.
The data compiled from the fleet compliance surveys is published in VOSA’s Effectiveness Report (tables A1.19, A2.11 and A3.7) which can be found on the VOSA website.
Foreign Nationals (Driving)
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for how long foreign nationals may use the driving licences of their home country to drive on UK roads; and if he will make a statement. [83126]
Dr. Ladyman: The length of time that a foreign licence holder may drive on UK roads is dependent on where the licence was obtained. Full details are available on the website:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/DriverLicensing/Driving InGbOnAForeignLicence/fs/en.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether registered asylum seekers are able to apply for British driving licences. [83127]
Dr. Ladyman: Asylum seekers are eligible to apply for a provisional driving licence provided they meet the requirements specified in legislation. This requires applicants to complete an application, provide a photograph and acceptable supporting evidence of identity.
Government Car Service
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles in the Government Car Service are leased to HM Treasury, broken down by (a) make and model and (b) vehicle excise duty band. [83586]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government Car and Despatch Agency leases no vehicles directly to HM Treasury. The Agency does provide six allocated cars and drivers to HM Treasury for Ministers and senior officials. These cars are from the Rover 75, Vauxhall Omega, Ford Mondeo and Toyota Prius ranges. All these cars are in band F except for the Toyota Prius, which is in band B.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many motor cars are owned or leased by the Government for the use of Ministers and Government staff; [75616]
(2) how many of the vehicles owned or leased by the Government for the use of Ministers and Government staff are claimed by their manufacturers to produce average carbon dioxide emissions in quantities of less than (a) 120g, (b) 140g and (c) 225g per kilometre travelled; [75617]
(3) which vehicle in the Government’s motor car fleet produces the highest level of carbon dioxide emissions; and to what purpose this vehicle is put. [75618]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) provides transport for Ministers and senior officials in accordance with the arrangements set out in Chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, “Travel by Ministers”.
GCDA has 191 vehicles in its car fleet. Of these: (a) 38 emit 120 grams per kilometre (g/km) or less of carbon dioxide; (b) five emit between 120 g/km and 140 g/km; and (c) 84 emit between 140 g/km and 225 g/km. The three vehicles emitting the highest level of carbon dioxide are 4.0 litre Jaguars which produce 285 g/km. These vehicles are presently unallocated.
Green Light Warning Beacons
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to extend the legislative provision that allows employment of a green light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle by a medical practitioner attending an urgent incident to cover (a) coastguards, (b) lifeboat crews and (c) mountain and cave rescue teams. [83333]
Dr. Ladyman: Green lights are currently reserved for vehicles which are occupied by medical practitioners registered by the General Medical Council and which are being used in an emergency. Users of these lights are not permitted exemptions from road traffic law: for example a doctor is not permitted to exceed a speed limit or to treat a red traffic light as a ‘give way’ sign.
The use of flashing warning lights needs to be limited in order to prevent their impact being diminished.
The Transport Committee has already recommended that official mountain and lowland search and rescue vehicles should be able to use blue lamps. The Department has accepted this recommendation. Any extension of the use of green lights would need to be discussed on a national basis and would require convincing justification.
Leisure Craft (Accidents)
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how (a) the Government and (b) the Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) records accidents involving leisure craft; whether reporting of such incidents is mandatory; what estimate the MAIB has made of the number of (i) serious and (ii) minor accidents on leisure marine craft that go unreported in a year; and whether MAIB sets out (A) reported and (B) estimated accidents in its published reports. [83534]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) powers are defined in the Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2005. These regulations place a requirement on skippers and operators of leisure craft that are being operated commercially to report accidents to the MAIB. Details of these accidents are recorded on the MAIB's Marine Incident Database System.
There is no statutory requirement to report accidents and incidents involving privately owned leisure craft, but skippers are encouraged to do so voluntarily so that accident levels and trends may be identified, and others may learn important safety lessons via articles published in the MAIB's Safety Digest.
The MAIB makes no estimate of the number of leisure craft accidents that are unreported in either the commercial or non-commercial sectors. In its annual report, the MAIB presents accident statistics for leisure craft derived from reported accidents recorded on its database.
Lorry Parks
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to provide secure lorry parks with appropriate facilities for drivers. [83407]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport has published guidance on how to set up and run Freight Quality Partnerships (FQPs).
FQPs are a means for local authorities, businesses, freight operators, environmental groups, the local community and other interested stakeholders to work together to address specific freight transport issues, including provision of secure parking and facilities for the drivers.
DfT has brought together the road haulage trade associations, motorway service area providers, the Highways Agency and the Home Office to seek a common understanding of how best to increase and improve provision of lorry parking. The Department will then follow this up with local authorities to raise awareness of issues facing road haulage operators including access to lorry parking and driver rest areas.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely impact of providing secure lorry parks on (a) crime and (b) road safety; and if he will make a statement. [83408]
Dr. Ladyman: While no formal assessment has been made of the impact more secure lorry parking might have on levels of crime, Home Office experience of safer parking facilities for cars indicates it would be a useful tool for reducing crime and the fear of crime. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), owner of the Safer Parking Scheme, is currently preparing guidance specifically to address the type of crime affecting light and heavy goods vehicle parking facilities.
The Department has undertaken no specific assessment on the impact on road safety but encourages drivers to make use of such facilities so that they can rest properly and reduce the risk of sleepiness while driving.
Low Carbon Buses
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Department’s announcement of 23 September 2003, how many demonstration low carbon buses have been produced using the funding announced. [82560]
Gillian Merron:
The allocated funding for demonstration low carbon buses was subject to state aid approval by the European Commission. A review of this programme was undertaken during the state aid notification process and a decision was taken not to proceed with the programme. I refer the hon. Member to the written statement “Transport grant and advice programmes” made by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Transport on 7 June 2006, Official Report, columns 30-32WS, about that decision.
Motorcycles
Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of road accidents in each of the past five years which involved children of primary school age or below travelling as passengers on motorcycles. [83287]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents reported to the police involving at least one child casualty aged 0 to 11 travelling as a passenger on a two wheeled motor vehicle (TWMV) in each of the past five years is given in the following table.
| Accidents involving at least one child casualty (aged 0 to 11) travelling as a TWMV passenger: 2001-05 | |
| Number | |
Motorways
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the introduction of motorway rest areas. [83348]
Dr. Ladyman: Currently under section 112 of the Highways Act 1980 the Secretary of State is not permitted to establish a picnic area on land adjacent to a motorway. An amending clause is included in the Road Safety Bill which is currently before Parliament. Subject to the acquisition of the necessary powers and funding the Government will consider the establishment of a pilot picnic area.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on current motorway safety programmes; and if he will make a statement. [83243]
Dr. Ladyman: A large proportion of the Highways Agency’s 2006-07, £2.2 billion programme budget contributes either directly or indirectly to road safety initiatives. It is not possible to separate specific spend on motorway safety programmes.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what obligations the Highways Agency is under to remove litter from motorway embankments and verges; and how often this (a) should be and (b) is done on the area surrounding the M57 and M58 motorways. [83467]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency is obliged, by the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to remove litter from motorways, including the central reservations, verges, and embankments. This arrangement has regard to the nature and use of the highway, and the need to limit disruption to traffic. To comply with the Act, which specifies, through a supplementary code of practice, standards of cleanliness and response times, the Agency undertakes a regime of sweeping and litter-picking on the M57 and M58 motorways.
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