Written Answers to Questions
Monday 4 December 2006
Transport
A12/A127
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to improve the condition of the (a) A12 and (b) A127. [105980]
Dr. Ladyman: The A12 and A127 in London now form part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). Therefore, any improvement schemes for those stretches of road are a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London. Further information concerning this road may be obtained from:
Director of Street Management
Transport for London
Windsor House
42-50 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0TL
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost has been of improvements to the (a) A12 and (b) A127 since 1997. [105984]
Dr. Ladyman: Prior to 22 May 2000 the Highways Agency (HA) was responsible for the A12 and A127 in London but to obtain the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.
Since 22 May 2000 the A12 and A127 in London now form part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). Therefore, any details of the costs of improvements would be held by the Mayor and Transport for London. Further information concerning this road may be obtained from:
Director of Street Management
Transport for London
Windsor House
42-50 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0TL
A1307
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities have occurred on the A1307 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [106704]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of fatalities resulting from personal injury road accidents reported to the police on the A1307 in each of the last 10 years is given in table.
| Fatalities on the A1307: 1996-2005 | |
| Year of accident | Fatalities |
Airports: Security
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the recommendations of the Boys-Smith review of airport policing will be implemented. [106790]
Gillian Merron: In his written statement of 20 July 2006, Official Report, columns 56-57WS, the Secretary of State welcomed the broad thrust of the review and said that we would be working closely with key stakeholders to consider the recommendations in detail. The Secretary of State intends to make a further statement in due course.
Aviation
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the external costs of UK aviation arising from (a) greenhouse gas emissions, (b) noise and (c) local air pollution; and what plans he has to internalise these costs. [102342]
Gillian Merron: This data was published in ‘Aviation and the Environment: Using Economic Instruments (2003)’. This document can be found at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/downloadable/dft_aviation_507934.pdf
We will ensure that, over time, aviation pays the external costs its activities impose on society.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when and how he plans to assess the potential reductions in carbon dioxide aviation emissions that may be realisable from an emissions trading scheme. [102346]
Gillian Merron: The environmental outcome of a trading scheme will depend upon the cap set for the scheme as a whole. Detailed design issues are subject to negotiation with EU partners and DfT will continue to argue for a well-designed, robust trading scheme.
The CE Delft report “Giving Wings to Emissions Trading” estimated that including aviation within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme could result in reductions of around 20-26mt of CO2 between 2008-12.
We expect the European Commission proposal will be accompanied by an impact assessment with further details.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of people who took (a) no, (b) one, (c) two, (d) three, (e) four and (f) five or more flights to (i) UK, (ii) European and (iii) worldwide destinations in each of the years from 1990 to 2005, broken down by (A) income, (B) class, (C) sex and (D) education level achieved. [107183]
Gillian Merron: Tables which show the number of flights in percentage terms taken by adults in Great Britain over the last three years, based on the British Social Attitudes Survey have been placed in the Libraries of the Houses.
Cancelled Transport Projects
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which transport projects have been announced by the Government and subsequently cancelled since 1997. [102457]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my predecessor as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 14 March 2006, Official Report, column 2065W, and by the Minister for Transport on 31 October 2006, Official Report, column 305W.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the additional carbon dioxide generated by road schemes in the targeted programme of improvements in the opening year of the programme. [104407]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 28 November 2006, Official Report, column 517W.
Concessionary Travel
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which bus companies are increasing their fares as a result of the concessionary fares scheme to increase their revenue; and if he will make a statement. [103110]
Gillian Merron: Outside London it is for the bus operators to set fares; they will take a number of factors into account when doing so, including the impacts of fare increases on the majority of bus passengers who pay a commercial fare.
Consultants
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which (a) private finance initiative, (b) public-private partnership and (c) other external consultants were used by (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies in 2005-06; and what the (A) nature and (B) cost of the work done by each consultant was in each case. [102756]
Gillian Merron:
Lists showing the nature and costs of the work of (a) private finance initiative, (b) public-private partnership and (c) other external consultants
engaged by the central Department and each of its agencies in 2005-06 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
It replaces the list provided with the answer to a similar question about the nature and cost of consultancy 4 September 2006, Official Report, column 2008W. Since the earlier list was compiled a more accurate breakdown of spend by two suppliers; one used by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the other by the central Department has been obtained.
Cycle Road Signs
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued on the requirement for local highways authorities to erect cycle road signs on highways. [103937]
Gillian Merron: There is no requirement to erect cycle road signs. It is for the local highway authority to decide what is needed. Guidance is given in Local Transport Note 2/87 “Signs for Cycle Facilities”, and in a number of other Local Transport Notes and Transport Advisory Leaflets.
Departmental Secondments
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which staff in his Department are seconded from organisations with charitable status; and which have (a) costs and (b) salaries met (i) in part and (ii) in whole (A) from public funds and (B) by the charity from which they are seconded. [102419]
Gillian Merron: One person is currently on secondment to the Department from the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB). The Department meets the full costs of the secondee’s salary (including national insurance and pension contributions). Where appropriate, the Department also reimburses the secondee for travelling and subsistence costs incurred in carrying out the Department’s business, in accordance with the departmental scales for the grade.
Drink/Drug Driving
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2006, Official Report, column 267W, on drink/drug driving, which drugs were involved in each case. [107652]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2006, Official Report, column 267W, on drink/drug driving, what means were used to identify the niche audience for the campaign. [107653]
Dr. Ladyman: The target audiences for both our drink and drug driving campaigns are informed by road casualty figures and research into driver awareness and attitudes.
For example our major target audience for the drink driving campaign is young men, who are over-represented in casualty figures. Road Casualties Great Britain 2005 showed that male drivers under 30 currently had the highest incidence of failing a breath test after being involved in a personal injury road crash. Independent research for the drug driving campaign indicated that drug drivers were also more likely to be young men.
Foreign Hauliers
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of new powers given to police in dealing with owners of foreign vehicles committing traffic offences in the UK. [105825]
Dr. Ladyman: None. Under the Road Safety Act 2006 which was given Royal Assent on 8 November the police will have new powers to require the payment of a deposit by a person they believe to have committed an offence in relation to a motor vehicle who does not provide a satisfactory address in the United Kingdom. The Act also makes provision for the police to prohibit the driving of a vehicle in respect of which a deposit was required and not paid, and in specified circumstances, to immobilise that vehicle.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals (a) to charge foreign hauliers for the use of UK roads an amount equivalent to the domestic vehicle duties paid by UK hauliers and (b) to pre-register foreign hauliers entering the UK. [106378]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
We are taking forward plans for distance-based lorry charging as part of our wider work on national road pricing. Road pricing has the potential to reflect the wider costs that lorries impose in the UK, especially congestion costs.
The industry through their representatives at the Road Haulage Industry Task Group proposed the pre-registration of foreign hauliers entering the UK. The Government are currently considering the industry's proposals.
Fuel Economy
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the European Union on adopting actual road test conditions to determine the official fuel economy figures of new motor vehicles. [106258]
Dr. Ladyman: None. The purpose of official fuel economy figures is to provide an objective comparison between different models of car. In order to do this, tests must be conducted in a manner which is accurate and repeatable, using a standardised test cycle run in a laboratory. This eliminates variations caused by road type, traffic and weather conditions, driving style etc.
The introductions in the Vehicle Certification Agency’s fuel consumption booklet and the corresponding website state clearly that the official
figures might not be achieved under ‘real life’ driving conditions. However they serve as a means of comparing models.
Gender Equality
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish his Department’s gender equality scheme. [101469]
Gillian Merron: In line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities)(Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930), laid on 10 November 2006, we expect to publish the Department’s gender equality scheme by 30 April 2007.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work (a) in his Department and (b) for non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies. [101515]
Gillian Merron: The discrimination provisions in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply to both the public and private sectors. Gender equality considerations can be built into contracts between public authorities and their private sector contractors where they are relevant to the function or service being carried out.
From 6 April 2007, private sector organisations, when carrying out functions of a public nature on behalf of public authorities, will be required to comply with the general gender equality duty which is to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and harassment and promote equality of opportunity between women and men.
To assist us, our non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies in ensuring that private sector contractors providing goods, works or services on our behalf, are aware of their obligations under the general gender equality duty we will refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission’s (EOC) code of practice of the gender equality duty and any further EOC guidance when available.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to carry out gender impact assessments of his Department’s major policy developments and new legislation. [101530]
Gillian Merron: From April 2007, the Department will carry out gender impact assessments of major policy developments and new legislation in line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities)(Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930). We shall refer to Equal Opportunities Commission’s (EOC) code of practice on the gender equality duty and their specific guidance when available.
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