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31 Oct 2006 : Column 293W—continued
Departmental Staff
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees in his Department were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October. [98149]
Mr. Hain: No members of staff in Wales Office were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October 2006 as all our staff are currently paid at a rate which is above the new minimum.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [98523]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office did not pay any bonuses to staff before the 2005-06 financial year.
In the 2005-06 financial year, one member of staff received a bonus payment of £300 before tax, which represents 1.6 per cent. of the total workforce.
In the current financial year three members of staff have received bonuses, representing 5 per cent. of the workforce. All of the bonuses together came to £862.30 before tax, and the largest single payment was £362.30.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to offset the carbon dioxide emissions caused by ministerial travel in his Department. [98769]
Mr. Hain: In 2005 the Wales Office changed the ministerial car in London to a hybrid car with lower emissions. A hybrid car will also be used from mid November 2006 for ministerial travel undertaken by car in Wales.
My officials are looking into schemes that would allow the Wales Office to offset all carbon emissions for this financial year.
Muslim Community
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with leaders of the Muslim community in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [97958]
Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 October 2006, Official Report, column 1374W.
Olympic Games
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with appropriate bodies to ensure that Wales benefits economically and socially from the London Olympics and Paralympics; and if he will make a statement. [98128]
Mr. Hain: Wales has an important contribution to make to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I meet with the relevant Ministers, in Whitehall and in Cardiff, on a regular basis, to discuss the opportunities presented to Wales by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.
The Wales Office is represented on the Welsh Assembly Government's Olympic Steering Group
which is engaged with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Nations and Regions Group of the London Organising Committee.
We intend to maximise the sustainable economic and social benefits to Wales, including those arising from the anticipated increase in tourism. Wales has many excellent training facilities and will offer a warm welcome to visiting teams and supporters. The Games will also produce a significant sporting legacy for Wales with associated health-related benefits.
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 31 October 2006
Transport
Airport Security (Northern Ireland)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which groups of people are exempt from passing through security at Northern Ireland's airports; and what the reasons are for the exemptions in each case. [98374]
Gillian Merron: Certain passengers such as members of the Royal Family, other Heads of State, Presidents, and Heads of Government are exempt from screening at UK airports, on the basis that their security has been satisfactorily ensured in other ways. However, airlines may require that such exempted persons are searched as a condition of carriage, company policy or at the discretion of the aircraft commander.
Cargo Transfers
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2006, Official Report, column 1119W, on cargo transfers, when his Department now expects to consult on the secondary legislation that will regulate ship-to-ship transfers within the limits of the UK’s territorial sea; and when this legislation is likely to come into force. [96892]
Dr. Ladyman: The secondary legislation which will regulate ship-to-ship transfers within the limits of the UK’s territorial sea remains in preparation. The Department expects to be in a position to consult on it early in 2007, with a view to its coming into force in late spring/early summer 2007.
Congestion Charging
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2006, Official Report, column 1533W, on congestion charging, what discussions he has held with Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority about road user charging. [98078]
Dr. Ladyman: During a visit to Merseyside on12 July this year, I met councillors and officers of the Merseyside authorities and Merseytravel to discuss the Transport Innovation Fund and matters including road user charging. Department for Transport officials have regular meetings with officers of the Merseyside authorities about the range of transport issues.
Consultants
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of consultants used by his Department was in 2005-06. [95684]
Gillian Merron: The Department spent £72.1 million on consultants in 2005-06.
The central Department and its agencies currently have separate accounting systems. This means that it has not been possible in all cases to provide actual expenditure. The central Department and the DVLA have only been able to provide this information in relation to committed spend (i.e. orders raised and contracts awarded during the period in question). Figures are based on the latest revised OGC definition of consultancy.
Departmental Expenditure
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on taxis in the last 12 months. [93106]
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on taxis in the most recent year for which figures are available. [95838]
Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport centre has spent £92,212.67 on taxis during the year up to 30 September 2006. In addition, DfT Rail Group has spent £10,704.
Of the Department's agencies, VOSA, GCDA, MCGA and HA do not record taxi fares separately from other travel expenses, and could provide the information only at disproportionate cost. The remaining agencies spent the following on taxi fares: DSA £91,000, VCA £2,380.90, and DVLA £53,000.
Departmental Mail
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the Department's mail is shipped using private companies; and what the cost was over the last 12 months. [95147]
Gillian Merron: During the period 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2006 the Department spent £1.7 million with private companies for mail services. This represents 7.5 per cent. of the Department's total spend for this service.
Drink-driving
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrian deaths in road accidents there were where the pedestrian had over 100 mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of blood in each year since 2003; and what percentage of all pedestrian road accident deaths in (a) England and (b) each region this represents in each case. [97636]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of pedestrian deaths where the pedestrian had a blood alcohol content over 100mg per 100ml and the percentage of all pedestrian road accident deaths in each region this represents are not available. Estimates of the percentage of pedestrian fatalities aged 16 and over in England who had over 100 mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of blood are given in the following table. No data are yet available for 2005.
| Pedestrian fatalities aged 16 and over: England 2003 -04 | ||
| Percentage of sample with blood alcohol content over 100mg/100ml | Sample size | |
| Source: Coroners' data | ||
Driving Standards Agency
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the Driving Standards Agency Multi-Purpose Test Centre due to be built in Leicester. [98449]
Dr. Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency exchanged contracts on 7 September 2006 for the development of the Multi-Purpose Test Centre at Tigers Road in Wigston, Leicester.
Building works will begin during the week commencing 27 November, with an estimated completion date of mid to late December 2006.
Eurotunnel
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contractual arrangement the UK Government have with Eurotunnel with regard to freight. [98572]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Secretary of State for Transport and Eurotunnel are both signatories to the 1986 Concession Agreement for the channel tunnel. The terms of this agreement oblige Eurotunnel to make agreements with other rail companies in accordance with the Provisions of the Treaty of Canterbury and the Concession Agreement.
In 1987 the British Railways Board (BRB) and the French national railway (SNCF) entered into a joint long-term usage contract (Channel Tunnel Usage Agreement) (also referred to as the Railways Usage Contract or RUC) with Eurotunnel. This contract—which defines the arrangements for the operation of both rail passenger and rail freight services through the channel tunnel—runs to 2052.
The UK Government’s responsibilities with respect to the channel tunnel rail freight are principally derived from BRB’s continuing obligations as formal signatory to the RUC, and from supplementary agreements to the RUC that were implemented to enable the privatisation of BRB’s international freight (and passenger) businesses. These were legally transferred to the Strategic Rail Authority in 2001 and subsequently transferred to DfT Rail in August 2005.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Monsieur Gounon of Eurotunnel with regard to freight. [98573]
Mr. Tom Harris: Ministers have had no discussions with Monsieur Gounon of Eurotunnel on the subject of freight. Discussions on this matter have been conducted by officials.
Fire Services (Aerodromes)
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) lives saved and (b) serious injuries prevented as a result of the requirement for lower category aerodromes to have a fire truck permanently on standby. [97592]
Gillian Merron: No estimates have been produced in the form requested. However, the Civil Aviation Authority has conducted several reviews over the years which have included reviews of the safety data relating to category one and category two licensed aerodromes. Most recent were a review by the Light Aviation Airports Study Group and the Regulatory Review of General Aviation in the UK. The reports of these reviews were published in January 2006 and July 2006 and copies are available on the CAA website.
M1
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason both carriageways of the M1 motorway were closed in Leicestershire on 29 September; who authorised such closure; and what steps were taken to ensure that the motorway was opened as soon as possible. [98300]
Dr. Ladyman: Both carriageways of the M1 motorway were closed between junctions 21 and 20 at about 13.20 hrs on 29 September, as a result of an accident involving two cars. An occupant of one of the cars was seriously injured.
All three lanes of the northbound carriageway were blocked and the southbound carriageway was closed for about two minutes to allow access for the air ambulance. There was no damage to the road infrastructure and the motorway was fully reopened at about 14.50 hrs once the vehicles had been moved to the hard shoulder. A diversion route for northbound traffic was put into operation.
The closure was instigated and subsequently lifted by the Highways Agency's East Midlands Regional Control Centre at the request of Leicestershire Police, who attended the incident.
Ministerial Travel
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions he has visited (a) Scotland and (b) Wales in the last 12 months. [95011]
Gillian Merron: The Secretary of State for Transport is in close contact with Ministers in the Devolved Administrations, in recent weeks meeting the Transport Minister of the Welsh Assembly and the Transport Ministers of the Scottish Executive. In addition he has made one visit to Scotland in his official capacity. All ministerial visits are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.
Motorways
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 17 October 2006, Official Report, column 1136W, on motorways, when
he expects to extend active traffic management and hard shoulder running to other motorways and trunk roads. [97217]
Dr. Ladyman: Initial indications from the current hard shoulder trial on the M42 near Birmingham are encouraging. However, further evidence from the trial will be needed to assess the overall impact on journey times, motorway capacity and safety.
The Highways Agency will continue to evaluate the evidence as the trial progresses to develop its understanding of the possible application of active traffic management—including hard shoulder running—elsewhere on the motorway and trunk road network. If the trial results prove positive we will want to implement the techniques at other locations as soon as practical.
Muslim Council of Britain
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) financial support and (b) support in kind his Department and its agencies have given to the Muslim Council of Britain in each year since 1997. [96274]
Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport including its agencies has not provided any financial support to the Muslim Council of Britain in any year since 1997.
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