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Palestinian Authority
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much financial aid was given to the Palestinian Authority in each year since 2000. [83109]
Hilary Benn: DFID’s support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) since 2000 has been as follows:
| Financial year | Support to the PA (£ million) |
This support has included technical assistance and financial aid, including budgetary support. These figures are in addition to Palestinian projects implemented outside the PA, including contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for refugees.
Following Hamas’ victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections of January 2006, and their subsequent failure to meet the Quartet principles, all direct aid to the Palestinian Authority has been suspended.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much financial aid he expects the UK will give to the Palestinian Authority in 2006-07. [83139]
Hilary Benn: Until the Hamas-led government complies with the principles laid out by the Quartet (the United Nations, the United States of America, Russia and the European Union), direct aid to the Palestinian Authority will not be possible. The principles are that the Hamas-led government should recognise Israel, renounce violence, and accept previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap.
However,
DFID’s programme of support to the Palestinian people will
continue. In April we released £15 million to the United Nations
Relief and Works
Agency which provides health, education and other basic services to
Palestinian
refugees.
The UK also intends to make a contribution of up to £12 million to a temporary international mechanism to provide direct support to the basic needs of the Palestinian people.
School Construction (Africa)
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many schools have been built in the last 12 months in African countries. [83119]
Hilary Benn: The Education for All Global Monitoring Report is the primary source of data on country progress towards the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education. It does not include data about the building of new schools. For DFID to bilaterally collect such data across Africa would involve a disproportionate cost. We are, however, tracking data on the numbers of girls and boys in school and on progress towards meeting the Universal Primary Education and gender equality Millennium Development Goals.
Skill Sharing
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the ways in which the UK is sharing skills with African countries, with particular reference to plumbers and electricians and training young people. [83118]
Hilary Benn: DFID does not provide any specific vocational training for trainee plumbers and electricians. However, DFID’s Higher Education Links programme has facilitated training for many young people. For example, a link between the University of Natal in South Africa and the University of Ulster has enabled the training of community youth workers to work in poor communities.
Following a review of the Links programme, DFID recently launched a new £15 million programme, Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE) that will run until March 2013. The DelPHE, managed by the British Council, will support a variety of partnerships between higher education institutions, enabling them to collaborate on activities linked to sustainable development, science and technology, and the reduction of poverty.
Transport
A303, Stonehenge
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects a decision to be made on the review of the A303 Stonehenge Improvement Scheme. [84344]
Dr. Ladyman: The cross-government steering group, which has been reviewing the options for the A303 at Stonehenge, will be producing a report to Ministers in the summer. This will set out the results of the public consultation and a detailed assessment of the shortlisted options. We will need to carefully consider this report before deciding on a way forward.
Antisocial Behaviour (Trains)
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains were (a) delayed and (b) cancelled because of vandalism on the tracks in the last 12 months, broken down by region. [77780]
Derek Twigg: The information is as follows:
(a) The information on delays is not available in the format requested.
(b) The following table shows the percentage of all train cancellations, resulting from vandalism, listed by Network Rail route, from April 1 2005 to March 31 2006.
| Network Rail (NR) route | Percentage of cancellations due to vandalism per NR route |
Boats (Blood Alcohol Limits)
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government have any plans to introduce a maximum blood alcohol limit for (a) recreational mariners and (b) those in charge of a boat. [83515]
Dr. Ladyman: Following a consultation in 2004 and more recent evidence given to us, including two Marine Accident Investigation Branch recommendations, we are now working with interested parties to see what appropriate measures should be taken to implement the relevant provisions of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Government have made of the results of the 2004 consultation into a maximum blood alcohol limit for recreational mariners. [83516]
Dr. Ladyman: We are currently reassessing all the views in the light of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch recommendations delivered earlier this year and will make an announcement once that exercise is complete.
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/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/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 for 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 Select 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.
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