Written Answers to Questions
Monday 19 March 2007
Wales
Departments: Advertising
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media. [128065]
House of Commons Commission
Roof Terrace
Anne Main: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission when he expects the roof terrace to re-open for use of hon. Members’ staff; and if he will make a statement. [127523]
Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how long the roof terrace has been closed to hon. Members; what work has been carried out; and when the roof terrace will be re-opened. [128087]
Nick Harvey: The roof terrace was closed, along with other roof areas in the parliamentary estate, on 28 September 2006 when a detailed health and safety audit indicated that there were significant risks when assessed under modern regulations. Since then priority has been given to providing safe access to those areas of the roofs where access is required to maintain the structure of the buildings. Work on the roof terrace has been limited to providing temporary fencing to prevent access to areas where people can and have put themselves at risk.
This matter is under active consideration by the Speaker.
Transport
A5
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons are for (a) the delay to 2015-16 from 2010 of the completion of the A5 to M1 link and (b) the change in the expected cost of the link between September 2005 and February 2007. [127914]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is as follows:
(a) The East of England Regional Assembly’s advice accepted by the Secretary of State on the regional funding allocation was for the start of construction of the A5-M1 link to be delayed from 2008-09 to 2013-14. However, I have asked the Highways Agency to continue to progress the orders on a timetable that would keep open the possibilities of building M1 J11a early and
accelerating the whole of the link road, should the necessary resources become available at an earlier stage.
(b) The principal reasons for the change in the expected cost of the link between September 2005, based on the outline design, and February 2007, based on the preferred route are additional inflation as a result of the later proposed construction date, and changes resulting from the choice of the northern route as the preferred route. Also, the current estimate has taken into account further work by the contractor on survey, design and buildability.
Air Traffic: Forecasts
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial contribution his Department made to the report by Oxford Economic Forecasting on the Economic Contribution of the Aviation Industry in the UK. [127439]
Gillian Merron: The Department's contribution was £23,500 (inclusive of VAT). The majority of the project was funded by aviation and other industry representatives.
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in relation to the survey undertaken by Oxford Economic Forecasting report quoted at paragraphs 4.14 and 4.15 of his Future of Air Transport Progress report, how many questionnaires were sent out; and what proportion were returned. [127440]
Gillian Merron: Questionnaires were sent out to around 6,000 companies and 165 replies were received. Further detail can be obtained from the Oxford Economic Forecasting report, Annexe A.
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish details of the air traffic forecasts on which his Future of Air Transport Progress Report was based; and if he will make a statement. [127449]
Gillian Merron: The Future of Air Transport Progress Report states that a technical note on the air traffic forecasting methods and results outlined in the Progress Report will be published in 2007.
Aircraft: Air Conditioning
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the results have been of the Buildings Research Establishment's testing for tricresyl phosphate and other organophosphates in air sampling research carried out on UK commercial aircraft; and what plans he has for further air sampling research. [127945]
Gillian Merron:
The Buildings Research Establishment report referred to was prepared in October 2003 for the Department of Health as part of the Aviation Health Working Group. It described a study to monitor cabin air quality aboard older aircraft types utilised in high volume short haul operations, as recommended by the House of Lords report on Air Travel and Health. The report found no obvious difference in the cabin environment between older types of aircraft and newer types and that overall,
levels of measured air pollutants were always below any recommended health limits.
The report can be found on the Department for Transport website at:
The Aviation Health Working Group will be commissioning a separate study of cabin air later in the year.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety implications of the recent instructions by DHL Air Ltd (instruction No. INFO 010/07) advising pilots that low concentrations of fumes (a) after engine start, (b) during taxi and (c) after take-off are normal, do not need to be reported and do not warrant use of emergency oxygen; and if he will make a statement. [127960]
Gillian Merron: The DHL instruction referred to has been assessed by a CAA flight operations inspector as part of the full range of company instructions relating to smoke, fumes and air contamination. The instruction was promulgated as follow up information additional to the relevant normal, abnormal and emergency procedures. These include company guidance for the use of oxygen and masks. The inspector found the instruction acceptable in that context and the operator has taken steps to ensure in training sessions that it must not be interpreted as a dilution of the company's safety policy with regard to the reporting of incidents of this type.
Airports
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many international destinations were served by (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted airports in the last year for which figures are available. [127268]
Gillian Merron: The data requested can be found in Annex A of the "Air Transport White Paper Progress Report 2006" on the Department for Transport's website: www.dft.gov.uk.
Airports: Passengers
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers on international flights went through (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted airports in the most recent year for which figures are available. [127269]
Gillian Merron: Total passengers at an airport can be defined as all terminal and transit passengers. Terminal passengers include all terminating and transferring (interlining/connecting) passengers.
The number of terminal passengers on international flights is published in table 3 of "CAA Passenger Survey Report 2005".
The number of transit passengers is not available for international flights. Total transit passengers, both domestic and international, are published in table 9 of "CAA Airport Statistics 2005", CAA website: www.caa.co.uk.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of passengers on international flights transferred or transited at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted airports in the most recent year for which figures are available. [127270]
Gillian Merron: The number of transfer passengers on international flights is published as “connect” passengers in table 3 of "CAA Passenger Survey Report 2005".
The number of transit passengers is not available for international flights. CAA website: www.caa.co.uk .
Airports: Security
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has carried out any survey of the public's understanding of the new security regulations regarding the transport of liquids on aircraft. [123627]
Gillian Merron: It is not currently DfT policy to conduct passenger surveys in relation to any security functions deployed at airports. However, after the events of the 10 August 2006, information informing passengers of the restrictions pertaining to liquids being taken through security control posts was disseminated through the national press and media, the Department for Transport website, and the aviation and travel industry.
Aviation: Air Pollution
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call for an emissions trading scheme to be included in the EU-US aviation negotiations currently taking place. [127203]
Gillian Merron: The Government are taking forward their objective to include aviation in the European emissions trading scheme through negotiations on a draft directive recently produced by the European Commission.
Aviation: Safety
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether UK airline pilots are required to report all cases of smoke or fumes in the aircraft technical log. [127366]
Gillian Merron: The European Aviation Safety Agency requirements concerning the aircraft technical log include the recording of information about each flight necessary to ensure continued flight safety. For commercial air transport flights, defects and malfunctions that affect the safe operation of the aircraft or the safety of its occupants, that are known to the commander of the aircraft, are required to be recorded in the technical log, or an alternative cabin defect log that is regarded as part of the technical log. Any occurrence of smoke or fumes in the cabin or flight deck that was considered to threaten the safety of aircraft or occupants would be required to be reported in the Technical log or cabin defect log.
Aviation: USA
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what scope there is for (a) reciprocity and (b) access to cabotage in the current aviation negotiations with the US air authorities. [126333]
Gillian Merron: Discussions have been taking place between the EU and the United States since 2003 on a comprehensive aviation treaty. Following the latest round of negotiations, a revised draft of a possible first stage agreement will be discussed at the EU Council of Transport Ministers on 22 March. The draft agreement as it stands provides a range of traffic and other rights to the airlines of both sides. A number of these would be granted on a reciprocal basis, though some limited rights would be granted to EU carriers only during the first stage. It does not include cabotage rights for the airlines of either side during the first stage.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on the cost of flights between the UK and the US likely to arise from the draft Open Skies aviation agreement reached between the EU and the US; and if he will make a statement. [126897]
Gillian Merron: The level of air fares is a commercial matter for the airlines concerned. However, certain air fares from London Heathrow to the US are currently higher than those from equivalent hubs in other European countries which already have an open skies relationship with the US.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the level of (a) flights, (b) passengers, (c) noise pollution, (d) carbon emissions and (e) global warming of the draft Open Skies aviation agreement reached between the EU and the US; and if he will make a statement. [126898]
Gillian Merron: The Government considers that the best way to tackle the environmental impacts of aviation is through the programme of measures it is pursuing including the addition of aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme, promoting technological developments and working closely with operators to make improvements through operational changes.
This is a strategic environmental approach which is not dependent on negotiations on individual bilateral air service agreements.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the draft Open Skies aviation agreement reached between the EU and the US on the ability of the UK and EU to develop legislation on (a) air pollution, (b) greenhouse gas emissions and (c) noise pollution; and if he will make a statement. [126900]
Gillian Merron: The proposed agreement does not affect the existing ability of the UK or the EU to take additional legislative measures to deal with the impact of aviation on the environment.
Blue Badge Scheme
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps his Department has taken to promote the Blue Badge map website; [118772]
(2) whether he plans to expand the geographical coverage of the Blue Badge map website; [118773]
(3) how much was spent administering the Blue Badge map website in the last five months. [118774]
Mrs. McGuire: I have been asked to reply.
DWP is responsible for the Disabled People and Carers information within the Directory website.
A range of marketing activity has been conducted to promote the new service. For example, several disability-related media outlets were approached to highlight the mapping facility and articles have appeared in leading disability publications and on a number of websites that are visited by disabled people. The facility has also been promoted at events and exhibitions, as well as through promotional leaflets and online marketing activities.
In addition, the Disabled People and Carers franchise of the Directgov website, which is hosted by the Office for Disability Issues, a unit within DWP set up to co-ordinate work on disability across Government. It contacted over 500 organisations and individuals, including local authorities, charities and organisations with an interest in disability, to draw their attention to the facility. They were encouraged to place links to the mapping facility on their own websites and to promote the service to other interested parties.
The mapping facility has been purchased under licence initially for one year and currently covers 64 towns and cities across the UK. We are currently considering whether to renew the contract which would potentially expand its geographical coverage.
The cost of administering the service cannot be disaggregated from the overall costs of maintaining and promoting the Disabled People and Carers section of the Directgov website.
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