23 Apr 2007 : Column 867W

Written Answers to Questions

Monday 23 April 2007

Solicitor-General

Frigates: Romania

Harry Cohen: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made with the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office and Ministry of Defence Police into the sale of two ex-Royal Navy frigates to Romania by BAE; and if he will make a statement. [132856]

The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office is investigating alleged offences involving BAE Systems plc. Further comment cannot be made for cases currently under investigation.

Transport

Airports: Security

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of tonnes of liquids which have been confiscated at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted, (d) Manchester and (e) Birmingham airports since 10 August 2006. [132904]

Gillian Merron: The Department does not collect any data on the amount of liquids confiscated through central search at UK airports.

Bus Services: Accidents

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving passengers on London bus services were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) London borough and (b) London bus route; and if he will make a statement. [132648]

Dr. Ladyman: Information showing the number of reported personal injury road accidents involving bus/coaches by London borough in each of the last five years is given in the following table. 2005 is the latest year for which data are available. Many of these accidents include buses/coaches which had no passenger casualties. Additionally some of the buses/coaches may have had no passengers at all. The information requested broken down by bus route is not collected.

23 Apr 2007 : Column 868W

Number of reported personal injury road accidents involving buses/coaches( 1,2) by London borough: 2001-05
London borough	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
City of London	47	44	40	49	53
Barking	55	41	39	30	28
Barnet	105	95	104	87	78
Bexley	61	64	41	53	50
Brent	98	91	91	76	92
Bromley	70	113	76	98	78
Camden	168	128	161	146	123
Croydon	110	88	99	89	117
Ealing	90	98	106	107	115
Enfield	71	83	82	88	57
Greenwich	100	98	113	101	94
Hackney	124	95	130	113	98
Hammersmith	84	53	82	66	67
Haringey	109	90	96	107	76
Harrow	47	28	38	31	32
Havering	54	63	49	77	45
Hillingdon	44	52	57	73	59
Hounslow	63	60	59	60	61
Islington	123	98	107	123	89
Kensington and Chelsea	75	62	79	62	71
Kingston upon Thames	31	34	42	26	38
Lambeth	174	165	170	152	149
Lewisham	137	132	127	132	122
Merton	55	52	47	41	45
Newham	77	79	80	72	70
Redbridge	63	57	55	51	42
Richmond upon Thames	60	42	49	41	43
Southwark	202	158	178	148	135
Sutton	37	33	41	38	44
Tower Hamlets	59	51	54	44	55
Waltham Forest	57	54	62	65	56
Wandsworth	96	93	109	110	87
Westminster	400	370	434	383	291
Total	3,146	2,864	3,097	2,939	2,660
(1) Buses or coaches equipped to carry more than 17 passengers, regardless of use. (2) Many of these accidents include buses/coaches which had no passenger casualties. Additionally some of the buses/coaches may have had no passengers at all.

Dartford Tunnel: Tolls

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether a discount for Bexley residents has been considered as part of the consultation on the future of Dartford Crossing tolls. [132791]

Dr. Ladyman: No decisions have yet been taken. The Department will be consulting on its proposals for local discounts in due course.

Driver Information Systems

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the results of the consultation on the In-Vehicle Information Systems; and if he will make a statement. [132535]

23 Apr 2007 : Column 869W

Dr. Ladyman: The replies to the consultation are in the process of being analysed, with consideration also being given to other relevant material such as the 26 October 2006, Official Report, column 1769 Adjournment debate on satellite navigation. Once this work is complete, the results of the consultation will be published. No date has yet been fixed but I expect the information to be issued shortly.

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps (a) to regulate in-vehicle information systems and (b) to produce a code of conduct to mitigate incorrect routeing by navigation systems; and if he will make a statement. [132552]

Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport is reviewing the existing legislation and practice on in-vehicle information systems (MS). The review is being informed by responses to the recent MS public consultation and by other relevant information. Our chief interest is to ensure, whether by regulation, code of practice and/or other means, that the human-machine interface aspects of route guidance systems are safe and that the guidance offered by such systems is designed so as to avoid inappropriate routeing. No conclusions have yet been reached on the best way forward. Any proposal developed following the review will be subject to further public consultation as part of the statutory process.

---