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Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers were carried between Glasgow airport and (a) London Heathrow, (b) Manchester International, (c) Birmingham International, (d) Leeds Bradford International and (e) Nottingham East Midlands airports in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how many of those passengers travelled by (i) economy and (ii) business class. [110554]

Gillian Merron: The estimated number of passengers carried between Glasgow airport and London Heathrow, Manchester International, Birmingham International, Leeds Bradford International and Nottingham East Midlands airports in 2005 were as follows:


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Number( 1)
Class
Business( 2) Economy( 3) Other( 4) Total

Glasgow to/from:

London Heathrow

75,000

1,280,000

68,000

1,423,000

Manchester International

13,000

152,000

4,000

169,000

Birmingham International

5,000

261,000

3,000

269,000

Leeds Bradford International

12,000

31,000

0

43,000

Nottingham East Midlands

166,000

3,000

170,000

(1) Nearest thousand.
(2) Includes business, club and first class tickets.
(3) Includes Economy (full fare and other), frequent flier scheme,
inclusive/package tour, charter seat only and standby tickets.
(4) Includes other and non-response.
Source:
CAA passenger Survey (Glasgow airport survey, 2005)

Blue Badge Scheme

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the merits of establishing a system which distinguishes between Blue Badge holders who need wheelchair access and those who do not. [116820]

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport believes that a two-tier scheme whereby different parking concessions are awarded to different classes of badge holders would complicate the Blue Badge scheme and make enforcement more difficult for police and parking enforcement officers. For the scheme to continue to be workable it is essential that only one class of badge is issued, and that this should be restricted to those people with the greatest mobility problems.

Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2007, Official Report, columns 751-2W, on the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency, how many of the requests were refused in each month. [110634]

Dr. Ladyman: Prior to 1 November 2006, DVLA did not keep records of the number of requests for information that were refused. The number of requests refused in November 2006 is 37,834. The number refused in December 2006 is 20,549.

Engagements

Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates Ministers in his Department and its predecessors made official visits to the London boroughs of (a) Tower Hamlets, (b) Newham and (c) Waltham Forest in each year since 1997. [115736]

Gillian Merron: Since the Department for Transport was formed in May 2002, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, his predecessors and other Ministers visited Tower Hamlets and Newham in an official capacity on following dates.

Tower Hamlets


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Newham

Flights: Cyprus

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Civil Aviation Authority to respond to the application made by Cyprus Turkish Airlines for permission to operate direct flights between the United Kingdom and Ercan airport in northern Cyprus. [117075]

Gillian Merron: A request for permission to operate flights direct between northern Cyprus and the UK was made to the Department for Transport on behalf of Kibris Turkish Airlines in November 2006. The Department for Transport has advised the airline that the legal position concerning possible direct flights is currently being reviewed, and that no decision on their request would be made until that review has been completed.

Franchise Agreements

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what appraisal was made of the (a) environmental and (b) social benefits of each franchise let by his Department in the past two years; and what weighting was given to those appraisals in agreeing the contractual terms of the franchise agreement. [116508]

Mr. Tom Harris: The social and environmental impacts of franchises let over the last two years by the Strategic Rail Authority and the Department for Transport were assessed in line with the Department’s transport appraisal guidance ‘WebTAG’. In agreeing the contractual terms of the franchise agreements, full account was taken of all the five New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) criteria.

Highways Agency Expenditure: Faversham and Mid Kent

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by the Highways Agency in Faversham and Mid Kent constituency in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by programme. [110642]

Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

M18 Motorway Closure

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the M18 motorway was closed to all traffic on 11 January 2006; upon whose authority the motorway was closed; why a complete closure was deemed necessary; and if he will make a statement. [117478]


23 Jan 2007 : Column 1677W

Dr. Ladyman: The M18 motorway was closed to all traffic between Junctions 6 and 7 on 11 January 2007 because a heavy goods vehicle had blown over due to high winds. The police requested the full closure as a safety measure to prevent more vehicles being blown over in the high winds.

Parliamentary Questions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department in 2006, broken down by (a) ordinary written and (b) named day; what percentage of ordinary written questions were answered within 10 working days; and what percentage of named day questions were answered by the specific date. [115282]

Gillian Merron: The information is not available in the format requested. However, between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2006, 3,042 ordinary written parliamentary questions were tabled with 93 per cent. answered within 10 sitting days.

During the same period, 735 named day parliamentary questions were tabled to the department with 76 per cent. answered on the date specified.

My ministerial colleagues and I aim to ensure that hon. Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, but the Department for Transport makes every effort to achieve these timescales.

Public Sector Pensions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement. [113818]

Gillian Merron: The cash equivalent transfer value of the pensions for seven of the 10 highest paid members of staff in the Department for Transport and its executive agencies are detailed in the Remuneration Reports in the accounts for the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency which are published annually and are already in the public domain.

The cash equivalent transfer value of the pensions for the three other highest paid members of staff in the Department for Transport and its executive agencies are as follows:

£000

1

74

2

44

3

300


Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the New Approach to Appraisal is applied when his Department specifies and awards rail franchises. [117124]


23 Jan 2007 : Column 1678W

Mr. Tom Harris: The New Approach to Appraisal is used to assess value for money when the Department specifies rail franchises. It is also used at the award stage to assess the value for money of priced options for these franchises.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints he has received in relation to First Great Western’s new timetable. [115588]

Mr. Tom Harris: The ministerial team at the Department for Transport have received 81 letters since 1 April 2006 from parliamentary colleagues which make reference to First Great Western’s new timetable.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the number of train services between Kings Cross and Shipley and Bradford which should be included in the next franchise agreement. [116923]

Mr. Tom Harris: The proposed specification for the new Intercity East Coast franchise is expected to be the same as the current timetable, except that a half-hourly service will operate to Leeds throughout the day from May 2007. A stakeholder consultation exercise is in progress, and meetings have been held with local stakeholders along the route. The Department for Transport will consider changes to the specification as set out in the consultation document before bidders are invited to tender for the franchise in March.

Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met First Great Western to discuss train services following timetable service changes that came into force on 10 December 2006. [117070]

Mr. Tom Harris: The last meeting with First Great Western at which train services were discussed was on 17 January 2007.

Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) additional services First Great Western plans to provide and (b) timetable amendments the company plans to make following the implementation of the new timetable on 10 December 2006. [117071]

Mr. Tom Harris: First Great Western has not informed the Secretary of State of plans for additional services or timetable amendments.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the (a) location, (b) value and (c) the purchaser are of British Railways Board (Residuary) Ltd land and buildings sold since May 1997; [113341]

(2) what the (a) location and (b) estimated value is of British Railways Board (Residuary) Ltd land and buildings that he intends to dispose of by 2011. [113343]

Mr. Tom Harris: The location of all properties held by BRB (Residuary) Ltd. (BRB(R), including those sold since May 1997 can be found on the BRB(R)
23 Jan 2007 : Column 1679W
website at www.brb.gov.uk . The company also holds some 4,000 structures such as bridges and tunnels over and under disused railway lines. A list showing the location of these is in the Library of the House.

Between 1996-97 and 2005-06 BRB(R) has sold in excess of 680 sites which have generated proceeds of approximately £480 million. In view of the large number of sites and the timescales involved details of individual purchasers can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

As at 31 March 2006 the book value of BRB(R)’s non operational land and buildings was £154 million. However, the company also has interests in a number of administrative office buildings which are held on historic onerous leases. The company has made a provision of £143 million to cover this liability.

The actual proceeds from future sales will be dependent on a number of factors such as any restrictions placed on sales by the autonomous Property Review Group and market conditions at the time of sale. DfT guidance on the operation of the Property Review Group can also be found on BRB(R)’s website.

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway stations in London are not fully accessible to the disabled. [116839]

Mr. Tom Harris: The Department does not hold information on the level of accessibility at all stations across London.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what definition the Department uses of peak-time travel on the railways. [117369]

Mr. Tom Harris: Peak-time travel on the railways is defined as services between 7 am and 10 am and 4 pm and 7 pm on weekdays.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2006, Official Report, column 1754W, on the East Coast Railway Line, if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent rail passenger census. [117163]

Mr. Tom Harris: A copy of the most recent rail passenger census data relating to 2005 is available in the Office of Rail Regulation publication National Rail Trends which has been placed in the House Library. This document is also available via the internet at the following address:

The 2006 data will be in the next publication of National Rail Trends in April 2007, and a copy will be placed in the House Library.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment of the (a) social and (b) environmental implications of each passenger rail franchise is made by his Department in setting the specification for bidders. [116516]


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