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9 Oct 2006 : Column 248W—continued
East London Line
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held with Transport for London on the proposed East London line extension; whether a possible route to Finsbury Park has been raised; and if he will make a statement. [90156]
Gillian Merron: The Secretary of State has held no discussions recently with Transport for London (TfL) on the East London line extension. The delivery and route of the East London line extension are matters for TfL.
Flight Statistics
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) long haul and (b) short haul commercial flights took off from UK airports in each of the last five years. [91441]
Gillian Merron: The number of flights that took off from UK airports in each of the last five years are as follows:
Flooding
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of existing coastal flood defences to cope with the effect of rising sea levels on the UK's rail network since 2004. [91688]
Mr. Tom Harris: These are operational matters for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the following address for a response to his question.
John Armitt
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
Government Cars
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Government cars use biofuels. [92514]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) fleet currently comprises of 41 cars and 18 light commercial vans capable of running on 5 per cent. biodiesel blend. GCDA has its own refuelling station at its London premises and all its drivers are required to refuel there whenever possible.
GCDA operates over 200 vehicles and it is targeted with reducing the environmental impact of its operations by reducing tailpipe emissions by 5 per cent. and to increase the use of alternative engine fuel technology by 10 per cent. compared with 2005-06. It is doing this by investing heavily in petrol/electric hybrid cars and replacing unleaded petrol powered cars with diesel powered cars. Its van fleet has always used diesel powered vans but in recent years has introduced a fleet of liquefied petroleum gas powered vans that operate in London and has also experimented with small electric vans.
Hampton Review
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what input (a) his Department and (b) its (i) agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies had into the Hampton review and its report, “Reducing administrative burdens: effective inspection and enforcement”. [89516]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury today, 9 October (UIN 89473), Official Report, column 280W.
Haulage Industry
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to secure the enforcement of the EU working time directive in the haulage industry in those EU countries which have yet to adopt the measure; whether the directive is applied to all lorries operating in the UK regardless of national origin; and if he will make a statement. [89993]
Dr. Ladyman: The European Commission is responsible for ensuring that each member state implements the European road transport working time directive 2002/15/EC. The Commission is currently pursuing infraction proceedings against those member states that have failed to notify full transposition of the directive.
The UK’s implementing regulations apply to any mobile worker operating in the UK provided they are employed by a haulier established in a member state of the European Union.
Highways Agency
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to give Highways Agency traffic officers certain police powers; and if he will make a statement. [91310]
Dr. Ladyman: There are no plans to give Highways Agency traffic officers any further powers beyond those already conveyed to them under Part 1 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and those being developed in connection with the removal and disposal of vehicles.
It is envisaged that traffic officers may have similar powers to those which the police have under the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986, and sections 99 to 102 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This will enable traffic officers to remove vehicles that are causing an obstruction or danger, supporting traffic officers in helping to keep traffic moving and freeing up police time.
Landslide (Boston Manor)
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken following the landslide near Boston Manor railway station in West London in July; what conclusions he has reached as to the cause of the landslide; what assessment he has made of whether there are sufficient safety precautions in place to prevent a further such landslide occurring on or near the UK rail system; and if he will make a statement. [91837]
Gillian Merron: Boston Manor railway station is on the Underground’s Piccadilly line. Landslides are an operational matter for London Underground Ltd. and the right hon. Member should contact their managing director for further information at the following address:
Tim O’Toole
Managing Director
London Underground Ltd.
55 Broadway
London
SW1H 0BD
Landslides on the national rail network are an operational matter for Network Rail. The right hon. Member should contact their chief executive at the following address for further information:
John Armitt CBE
Chief Executive
Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
M1
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to relieve congestion on the M1. [91494]
Dr. Ladyman: Measures are already being taken to relieve congestion on the M1 south of Milton Keynes where work to widen the motorway to four lanes is underway between Junction 6A (M25) and Junction 10 (Luton). This widening is due for completion in late 2008.
There are plans to widen the M1 from Junction 10 to 13, with construction scheduled to start in late 2008 and to complete in 2011. The M1 Junctions 10 to 13 Widening aims are:
To provide an additional lane of traffic in both directions on the M1 to relieve present congestion and to accommodate predicted future flows.
To improve the existing junctions to match the increased capacity of the motorway.
M42
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for commencing and completing the extension to the M42 toll road. [92490]
Dr. Ladyman: I assume the hon. Member is referring to the M54 to M6/M6 toll link road as the M42 is not a toll road and the M6 toll road is not being extended.
Currently, the feasibility of options is being considered to support the case for the link road scheme to enter the Targeted Programme of Improvements. The new M54 to M6/M6 toll link road should open to traffic around 2012 (subject to the usual statutory processes), helping to free up current bottlenecks and to improve road travel through the region.
Melbourne Marine Services
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account was taken of Melbourne Marine Services' safety record in assessing its application for permission to conduct ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth. [89617]
Dr. Ladyman:
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has the function of assessing whether the submitted oil spill contingency plan covering ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth and the
amendments to the overarching Clearwater Forth contingency plan would adversely affect the integrity of designated nature conservation sites in the Firth of Forth. In doing so, the MCA took into account the global safety record of ship-to-ship transfers. This included the detailed risk assessments which formed part of the package for the consultation carried out by the MCA.
These documents can be located on the MCA website:
http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcqa-guidance-regulation/mcqa-consultations/mcqa-consultations-archive/archived consultations 2006/mcqa-consultations-sts forth.htm
Merchant Vessels
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that wrecks of merchant vessels lost during hostilities are protected. [90178]
Dr. Ladyman: With the exception of the limited power available under the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997, there is no specific legislation for the protection of merchant vessels lost during hostilities, and as such, the Secretary of State for Transport has no legislative powers to protect these vessels. Section 24 of the 1997 Act enables the Secretary of State to make an order relating to the protection of wrecks outside UK waters for the purpose of giving effect to an international agreement.
The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 deals with military remains of both aircraft and ships and is administered by the Ministry of Defence. All military aircraft are automatically designated under this legislation. The Act allows the Ministry of Defence to protect from unauthorised interference the remains of aircraft and ships lost while in military service. Whether or not an individual merchant vessel is eligible for designation under the Act depends on whether it can be said to have been in “military service”.
The Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is designed to protect wrecks which are of historic, archaeological or artistic importance and is administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
It is the Department for Transport's present policy to refrain from selling the hull of any merchant vessel, owned by the Department and lost to enemy action, where there has been a recorded loss of life.
Mini Scooters
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents there have been involving mini moto scooters in each of the last five years; how many of these accidents have resulted in (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) slight injuries suffered by (i) the driver of the mini moto scooter, (ii) pedestrians, (iii) cyclists and (iv) other road users. [92636]
Dr. Ladyman: No data are available.
Motorised mini scooters involved in personal injury accidents reported to the police on public roads are recorded under the motorcycle category and cannot be identified as a distinct group of vehicles.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met his Scottish counterpart; and what subjects were discussed. [89391]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Ministers have regular dialogues with ministerial colleagues in the Scottish Executive, discussing a wide range of issues of mutual interest. It is not our practice to disclose details of such meetings.
Ministerial Transport
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2006, Official Report, column 1329W, to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles), on the Deputy Prime Minister (Government car), what the cost was to public funds of the Deputy Prime Minister's Government car, including the driver, in the most recent year for which figures are available. [90106]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 15 June 2006. I have nothing further to add.
Mobile Network
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has had with (a) train operating companies and (b) Network Rail on the provision of mobile network coverage for consumers on UK rail routes; and if he will make a statement; [89270]
(2) what discussions he has had with (a) London and Continental Railways and (b) Cross London Rail Links Ltd. on the provision of mobile network coverage for business and consumers on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Cross Rail, including tunnelled routes; and if he will make a statement. [89293]
Mr. Tom Harris: The subject is raised from time to time in the course of meetings but the Department's view is that providing mobile network coverage is a matter for Network Rail and train operators.
Motorcycling
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of motorcyclists not carrying a front number plate on their motorcycles in England; and what steps his Department is taking to curb this practice. [91592]
Dr. Ladyman: The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 prohibit the display of a front number plate on all motorcycles registered on or after 1 September 2001. Keepers of motorcycles registered before this date have the option of whether to display a front number plate or not. There are no plans to change the law. The Department has no figures on the number of motorcycles in England that do not display front number plates. Motorcycles displaying a front number plate can present a danger to their riders and to others and the 2001 changes are intended to increase road safety.
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