House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 07 Nov 2006 (pt 0018)

7 Nov 2006 : Column 1053W—continued

Concorde

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has had discussions with British Airways about maintaining a flightworthy Concorde for use on special occasions. [100120]

Gillian Merron: No. Issues concerning Concorde remain a matter for British Airways and Airbus, in which the Government have no locus to intervene.

Crossrail

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Government have made of the potential economic impact of Crossrail on the economy. [99891]

Mr. Tom Harris: The Government have estimated that Crossrail would add approximately £20 billion to UK GDP. However, we are aware that different estimates for the GDP impact of Crossrail have been produced and we are keeping the area under review accordingly.

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Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is on the display of religious (a) artefacts, (b) symbols and (c) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [95641]

Gillian Merron: Two of the Department for Transport’s Executive agencies have specific policies on the display of religious (a) artefacts, (b) symbols and (c) dress by its staff.

The DVLA religious and belief policy is concerned with permitting and facilitating the free practice of religion by agency staff. This permits the wearing of cultural or religious dress.

The Highways Agency policy applies to those staff who are required to wear a uniform. This states that the wearing of religious artefacts, dress etc is permitted provided that a full uniform is worn; the items are discreet; and that the items do not conflict with any health and safety obligations.

Neither of the agencies has carried out any disciplinary proceedings regarding their policies in the last five years.

Departmental Spending

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent per capita on public transport in (a) the North East region and (b) Hartlepool constituency in each of the last five years. [99853]

Gillian Merron: The per capita figures for each year shown combine payments to local authorities under the Department’s bus grant schemes (Rural Bus Subsidy Grant, Rural and Urban Bus and Kickstart) and the Department’s funding for capital expenditure on local transport:

£ per capita
	North East	Hartlepool
2001-02	7.28	7.40
2002-03	14.57	10.39
2003-04	12.67	5.35
2004-05	11.73	12.11
2005-06	14.32	4.57

In addition, the Department pays Bus Service Operators Grant direct to operators of local bus services; this expenditure is not ascribed to geographical area.

Local authorities also subsidise non-commercial bus services and concessionary fares on local transport from their own resources, including principally Revenue Support Grant from Central Government.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the central Government approved per capita investment in transport has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. [100078]

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Gillian Merron: Investment in transport is a matter for local authorities and does not generally require central Government approval, although for some schemes authorities may seek specific additional grant, for example under Section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 or Section 87 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. In some cases an investment proposal may also require powers which are subject to approval by the Secretary of State.

Available information on local authority per capita spend on services is published as part of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis and can be found at:

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/377/3B/cm6811_08_Chap_7.pdf.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees in (a) his Department and (b) its (i) agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October. [98164]

Gillian Merron: The rise in the national minimum wage on 1 October did not affect any of the Department’s employees.

Fuel Efficiency

Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to haulage companies on (a) reduction of fuel consumption and (b) increase in energy efficiency. [100081]

Dr. Ladyman: Freight Best Practice (FBP) guides, case studies and software are produced and distributed on a range of topics to English operators. Over the last year 82,000 visitors to the website downloaded 92,000 publications. Some 124,000 publications and 150,000 copies of the six monthly newsletter have been distributed. Operators involved in the FBP achieved fuel savings of over 6 per cent.

Under our Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) programme 6,375 truck drivers have been trained and a further 7,500 van drivers and 5,500 truck drivers in the aggregates sector are now benefiting. To achieve long term embedding we are training up to 800 instructors to deliver SAFED training commercially.

The Department funds industry experts to provide ‘Site Specific Advice’ for fleet managers. Potential fuel savings of over 10 per cent. have been previously identified for 600 fleets and a further 400 fleets in the aggregate sector are now receiving similar assistance, with funding from DEFRA.

Light Bulbs

Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of light bulbs purchased by his Department in 2005 were of the compact fluorescent type. [98252]

Gillian Merron: In many cases fluorescent type bulbs are incompatible with existing fittings and purchase is not directly controlled or recorded.

However, in the Department’s main London HQ building and where permitted by the existing fittings
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35-40 per cent. of this type of bulb have been installed. For the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency the figure is 98 per cent. and at the Vehicle and Certification Agency 100 per cent. of purchases in the last financial year were of this type.

For other parts of the Department the information is not held centrally and the information would be available only at disproportionate cost.

London Borough of Bexley

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which projects in the London borough of Bexley are under consideration by his Department. [99200]

Gillian Merron: The Department is promoting the Crossrail hybrid Bill and one of the main Crossrail termini is located at Abbey Wood, on the border between the boroughs of Bexley and Greenwich. The Bill is currently going through Parliament in order to obtain the authority to build Crossrail, and is currently at the Select Committee stage.

Other transport projects concerning Bexley are matters for the Mayor and Transport for London.

M62

Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has for introducing toll charging on the M62 motorway. [98066]

Dr. Ladyman: The Government have no plans to introduce charging on the M62. In line with their manifesto commitment, the Government are exploring the scope for developing a national system of road pricing. We are also working with local authorities as they develop local schemes which will tackle an existing or emerging congestion problem.

Mini Motos

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) the British Motorcyclists Federation and (b) the Motorcycle Industry Association on mini moto regulation; and if he will make a statement. [100170]

Dr. Ladyman: The Department, the British Motorcyclist Federation (BMF) and the Motorcycling Industry Association (MCIA) all field representatives to all the sub-groups of the National Motorcycle Council. This body (and its sub-groups) meet regularly to look at all aspects of motorcycling.

In addition, last July I met representatives of the MCIA to discuss mini-moto issues and in October I received a briefing note and report from MCIA about the role of motor projects and road user education in helping to tackle public concerns about mini-moto use. I shall be replying shortly.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people under the age of 17 years have been fined for driving mini-motorcycles. [97835]

Mr. Coaker: I have been asked to reply.

The information is not available.

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The only offences identified by the statistical collections on the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform that are specific to motor cycles are “failing to wear a crash helmet” and “unlawful pillion riding”. All other offences committed by motorcyclists cannot be identified from the data held centrally either because the offence as defined in legislation is not specific to any type of motor vehicle (e.g. driving on a footpath, or vehicle not taxed or insured against third party risks) or because it is not identified separately and is grouped together with other miscellaneous motoring offences.

Motoring Offences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have had their driving
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licence endorsed for (a) driving while disqualified by order of court, (b) attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court, (c) driving without reasonable consideration for other road users, (d) using a vehicle with defective brakes and (e) using a vehicle with defective tyres in each of the last 10 years. [97833]

Mr. Coaker: I have been asked to reply.

Available data given in the table show the number of endorsements imposed at all courts and as a result of fixed penalty notices, by offence, within England and Wales from 1997 to 2004 (latest available).

2005 data will be available early in 2007.

Endorsements by order of the court and as a result of a Fixed Penalty Notice by type of offence, England and Wales, 1997 to 2004
Number of offences
Type of endorsement/Type of offence	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Endorsements without disqualification imposed at all courts
Driving while disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence⁽¹⁾	24,303	23,100	25,800	24,700	24,200	25,100	27,500	24,200
Careless driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other road users⁽²⁾	50,503	46,800	42,100	36,800	32,000	28,600	26,600	24,600
Total vehicles or parts in dangerous or defective condition⁽³⁾	44,003	41,600	36,700	29,100	22,800	20,100	18,300	17,100
Of which:
Brakes defective⁽⁴⁾	3,100	2,800	2,100	1,900	1,400	1,200	1,100	900
Tyres defective⁽⁵⁾	32,100	30,000	26,600	20,800	16,100	14,400	13,000	12,200

Endorsements as a result of a Fixed Penalty Notice
Driving while disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence⁽¹⁾	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—
Careless driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other road users⁽²⁾	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—	⁽⁶⁾—
Total vehicles or parts in dangerous or defective condition⁽³⁾	14,703	15,000	11,200	8,000	6,700	5,600	6,200	7,000
Of which:
Brakes defective⁽⁴⁾	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—
Tyres defective⁽⁵⁾	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—
⁽¹⁾ Offence under s103(1) Road Traffic Act 1988 (RTA88). Includes attempting (see s103(3) RTA88). ⁽²⁾ Offences under s3 RTA88. ⁽³⁾ Includes offences of brakes defective, steering defective, tyres defective and using vehicle in dangerous condition etc. ⁽⁴⁾ Offences under Regs 16 and 18 and Sch 3 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (RV(C&U)Regs86); s41A RTA88 as added by s8 Road Traffic Act 1991 (RTA91). ⁽⁵⁾ Offences under Regs 25-27 RV(C&U)Regs86; s41A RTA88 as added by s8 RTA91. ⁽⁶⁾ Not applicable. ⁽⁷⁾ Not available. Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary monitoring offences, may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

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