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2 May 2007 : Column 1670W—continued
Aviation: Carbon Emissions
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the most recent estimate is of the percentage contribution of aviation, based on emissions by all aircraft departing from UK airports, and including the radiative forcing effect, to UK climate change emissions. [134036]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 26 April 2007]: International aviation is not included in the UK’s climate change inventory as there is no internationally agreed method for allocating such emissions among states. In 2005 aviation represented 6.3 per cent. of UK emissions, calculated as a proportion of emissions in the UK inventory plus emissions from international aviation and shipping departing the UK. Detailed data may be viewed at:
As the “Future of Air Transport Progress Report” (December 2006) noted, aviation emissions arising
from the combustion of kerosene include carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, particulates and other compounds. These give rise to “radiative forcing” impacts. The total radiative impacts were estimated by the EC TRADEOFF project to be approximately twice those of carbon dioxide (excluding cirrus cloud formation).
Using a radiative forcing multiplier of two, emissions from flights departing the UK contributed approximately 13 per cent. of total UK emissions in 2005. However, the figures for non-aviation sources do not include any radiative forcing attributable to them, as conclusive figures are not available.
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the percentage of total climate change impact from UK sources contributed by the UK aviation sector, as defined by the Transport White Paper 2004, as a result of radiative forcing; and how that estimate was derived. [133982]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the response I have given to the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) today (UIN 134036).
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage contribution of aviation to the overall UK climate change impact is, calculated on the basis of emissions attributable to UK citizens on outward and return flights from UK airports, including the radiative forcing effect. [134097]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 1 May 2007]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given today to his related question (UIN 134036).
There are no equivalent data which relate emissions attributable to UK citizens’ travel. The Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey provides information from surveys of overseas visits by UK residents but this information is not directly related to emissions.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link: Greater London
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect he expects the opening of the high speed Channel Tunnel Rail link into St. Pancras to have on capacity on the domestic network. [134789]
Mr. Tom Harris: Opening the Channel Tunnel Rail link into St. Pancras will improve the capacity of the domestic rail network by freeing up train paths used by Eurostar in South London, between Fawkham junction and Waterloo. The international platforms at Waterloo will also be available for domestic use from December 2008 and the new depot at Temple Mills will free up capacity on the west London line, previously used by Eurostar to access the international depot at North Pole. Additionally the Channel Tunnel Rail link itself will provide new capacity for high speed domestic services into London from North and East Kent, which are expected to be introduced in 2009.
Crossrail: Finance
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what shortfall in funding exists between current financial provision for Crossrail and actual project costs; [133403]
(2) when his Department plans to submit its final proposal to HM Treasury for the funding of Crossrail. [133404]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Crossrail project has been allocated a total of £408 million in funding to date, including an additional £154 million that has been recently agreed for ongoing project development. The full cost of the project is projected to be around £15-16 billion in cash prices.
The Department has regular discussions with HM Treasury on many matters. This includes the funding and financing of Crossrail, which will be considered further in the context of Sir Michael Lyon’s recommendations on local government finances and wider spending pressures and priorities. However, the affordability challenge represented by the scheme remains significant.
Departments: India
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Ministers in his Department have visited India in the last 12 months; on how many occasions each Minister visited India; and what the length was of each visit. [135547]
Gillian Merron: This Government publish an annual list of Cabinet Ministers’ travel overseas costing over £500 along with the total cost of all ministerial travel. Information for 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006 and is available in the Library of the House. Information for 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready.
All travel is in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.
None of my ministerial colleagues from the Department for Transport have visited India in the last 12 months.
Departments: Paper
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of paper used (a) for photocopying and (b) in printed publications by his Department was from recycled sources in each of the last three years. [134052]
Gillian Merron: The following tables show the percentage of paper containing recycled content used in each of the last three years:
| Percentage of photocopier paper with recycled content | |||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| Percentage of paper with recycled content used in printed publications | |||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| (1) VOSA priced publications are counted separately using paper which does not include recycled content. | |||
Departments: Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much energy in kilowatt hours was purchased by his Department from renewable sources in the most recent year for which figures are available. [135003]
Gillian Merron: The Department purchased 36,615,981 kilowatt hours of energy from renewable sources in financial year 2005-06.
East Coast Main Line: Standards
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what performance measures his Department has in place to monitor the quality of service provided on the East Coast Mainline. [135653]
Mr. Tom Harris: GNER measures service quality in terms of both train punctuality and also areas such as train cleanliness, station condition and customer service. Punctuality is monitored on a daily basis by Network Rail, with statistics published by the Office of Rail Regulation. Other areas are audited by GNER and the results reviewed by the Department against Key Performance Benchmarks set for the franchise. The Department also takes note of National Passenger Survey results in order to be assured that GNER service quality to the rail traveller is maintained.
Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether bids to the Transport Innovation Fund will be assessed on their potential contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as their effectiveness in reducing congestion. [135113]
Dr. Ladyman: The environmental impacts of Transport Innovation Fund proposals, including carbon dioxide emissions, will be considered as part of the assessment of TIF bids.
Parking: Fixed Penalties
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the recent High Court judgment on the issuing of parking tickets by post in London for the extension of the postal penalty notice system throughout the UK. [134873]
Gillian Merron: Although the official transcript of the judgment in TfL v. PATAS (interested party—Simeon Ademolake) is not yet available, the Secretary of State is considering the amendments that could be made to the wording of the draft regulations to implement the parking provisions in Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to cover such a situation.
Petrol: Silicon
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to establish a British Standard for the amount of silicon included in unleaded petroleum; and if he will make a statement. [135111]
Dr. Ladyman: There is no reason to expect a repeat of the recent incident in which fuel was contaminated with silicon. However we will be asking the British Standards Institution to consider, in concert with its European partners, whether revision of EN228, which is the industry standard for premium unleaded petrol, would be appropriate.
Railways: Energy
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relative energy consumption of trains at different speeds. [134879]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department is involved in several research projects assessing how trains use energy. In particular this includes a project commissioned by the Rail Safety and Standards Board into rail traction energy which will compare the energy consumption of different train types that operate at different speeds. I expect the results to be published in the summer.
Railways: Overcrowding
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the degree of overcrowding on UK trains and the resultant effects on those passengers involved; and if he will make a statement. [134556]
Mr. Tom Harris: In 2005 the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) published a report entitled “The health and safety effects of crowding”, which is available on its website, rssb.co.uk. The Office of Rail Regulation’s Railway Industry Advisory Committee asked RSSB to consider further the issues identified in the report and this work is under way.
Railways: Wales
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proportion of train stations in Wales have manned ticket kiosks; and if he will make a statement; [135268]
(2) what proportion of train stations in Wales have automated ticket machines; and if he will make a statement. [135269]
Mr. Tom Harris: All railway stations in Wales are operated by Arriva Trains Wales (‘ATW’). Under the Welsh rail devolution arrangements, the Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for the management of the ATW franchise.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ticket inspectors were operating on Welsh railway lines in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [134913]
Mr. Tom Harris: The information requested could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many train stations in Wales have manned ticket kiosks; and if he will make a statement; [134914]
(2) how many train stations in Wales have automated ticket machines installed; and if he will make a statement. [134915]
Mr. Tom Harris: All railway stations in Wales are operated by Arriva Trains Wales (‘ATW’). Under the Welsh rail devolution arrangements, the Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for the management of the ATW franchise.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train carriages were in use by train operating companies on railway lines in Wales in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [134916]
Mr. Tom Harris: The information requested could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail passengers there were in Wales in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [134917]
Mr. Tom Harris: Statistics on number of passengers on the railway network for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in the National Rail Trends Yearbook editions, which are available in the House Library or from their website: www.rail-reg.gov.uk. Figures for earlier years are not held by the Department in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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