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8 Oct 2007 : Column 85W—continued


The 2006 survey of cycle helmet wearing rates will be published later this year.

Derry City Airport

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the investigation of the runway subsidence incident at Derry City airport on 8 August 2007; and what the conclusions of the investigation were. [156712]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The aerodrome conducted an immediate investigation into the incident that occurred on 8 August 2007 and the report was presented to the CAA. The investigation revealed that the First Choice aircraft (airbus A320) that had arrived from Reus (Spain) was unable to access the main aircraft parking area due to congestion. In agreement with Air Traffic Control (ATC) the aircraft was initially held on a taxiway until space became available. While holding on the taxiway, the main aircraft wheels sank into the taxiway surface.

The report concluded that the aircraft should not have been held on that taxiway, as the taxiway was not
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designed to accept the weight of the A320 aircraft. The aerodrome operator subsequently issued an operating instruction that prevents aircraft of this size using that taxiway in the future. They have also commissioned a review of the pavement strength for the main runway and other paved surfaces. The United Kingdom Aeronautical Information Package (UKAIP) entry for the aerodrome has also been amended to reflect the pavement values for the aerodrome surfaces. They have also instigated a review of the equivalent commercial information available to pilots.

The aerodrome is also planning a new extension to the aircraft parking area in 2008 that will provide additional parking stands, which should reduce the need for aircraft to hold pending stand availability. This will include a new direct taxiway from the main runway.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Disclosure of Information

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency provides information about UK driving licence holders and registered owners of cars to (a) European and (b) other countries; whether there have been recent changes in policy; and if she will make a statement. [154213]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is a member of EUCARIS (the European Car and Driving Licence Information System) which electronically links the databases of participating European registration authorities. The EUCARIS treaty permits the checking of information when a driving licence is produced for exchange or a vehicle registration document is applied for.

Driving licence information is currently exchanged only between Great Britain, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, and is restricted to the following information:

Vehicle data can be exchanged with Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden. Information exchanged is restricted to Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), registration mark, make, model, date of first registration (if applicable), colour, fuel type and whether there are any restrictions or signals (e.g. stolen, vehicle scrapped or documents/plates stolen or missing).

Information is exchanged only with registration authorities of countries outside the EU where they have adequate data protection laws. This is conducted on a case-by-case basis. There has not been any recent policy changes.


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Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Telephone Services

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revenue the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency received from its use of 0870 numbers in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [156670]

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 September 2007, Official Report, columns 2190-91W.

Driving Offences: Fines

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was raised in fines from traffic cameras in Cambridgeshire in each of the last five years; and how much of the money raised was spent on road safety in each year. [153765]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department only holds information about speed and red-light cameras operating under the national safety camera programme, the audit certificates for the Cambridgeshire Safety Camera Partnership for the last five financial years outlined in table A show the fine revenue from conditional offer of fixed penalties for offences detected by speed and red light cameras operating under the then National Safety Camera Programme.

Table A
£

2001-02

135,420

2002-03

771,360

2003-04

1,245,780

2004-05

1,196,460

2005-06

1,259,880


Under the then netting off funding arrangements, safety camera partnerships reclaimed expenditure directly attributed to the prevention, detection and enforcement of offences, the amounts reclaimed by the Cambridgeshire partnership in these financial years is set out in table B. the surplus was returned to the Consolidated Fund.

Table B
£

2001-02

113,760

2002-03

728,192

2003-04

1,090,937

2004-05

1,021,261

2005-06

1,027,705


Driving: Licensing

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 years held a full UK driving licence in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997. [156031]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Statistics are held for local authorities and regions for 2006 only. Information is not held by constituency so we are unable to supply
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data for Jarrow. The Department for Transport only hold figures for Great Britain.

Area Under 25 Over 25 Total

South Tyneside

6,020

65,373

71,393

North East

114,893

1,178,712

1,293,605

GB

2,927,219

31,848,368

34,775,587

Source: DfT January 2006 Census

Drivers statistics collated prior to January 2006 are only available as national (GB) totals.

Under 25 Over 25 Total

July 1997

3,645,225

28,684,003

32,329,228

April 1998

3,500,031

29,032,186

32,532,217

April 1999

3,234,582

29,434,406

32,668,988

September 2000

2,965,137

29,915,224

32,880,361

January 2001

2,935,143

30,005,339

32,940,482

November 2003

2,805,722

30,965,965

33,771,687

January 2006

2,927,219

31,848,368

34,775,587

Source: Various DfT Drivers Censuses

The Drivers Census is run on a sporadic basis. That is the reason why there appear to be missing years in the table.

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of (a) male and (b) female car driving licence holders have unendorsed licences. [156554]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Although DVLA records details of driving convictions on its driving licence records, it does not have available a statistical breakdown of the numbers of male and female drivers who have unendorsed licences.

Driving: Working Hours

Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 June 2007, Official Report, column 38WS, on drivers' hours (derogation for reservists), what steps have been taken with regard to a derogation for reservists from Regulation (EC) 561/2006; and what progress has been made in securing this change. [156401]

Jim Fitzpatrick: As set out in the written ministerial statement of 11 June 2007 we have written to the European Commission requesting an exemption from the weekly rest requirements of Regulation (EC) 561/2006 for professional drivers when undertaking military training as a reservist with the volunteer reserve forces or acting as instructors in the cadet corps at the weekend. This request was made in accordance with Article 14.1 of the Regulation which provides for exceptions in exceptional circumstances.

The European Commission are currently considering our request and discussions are ongoing.


8 Oct 2007 : Column 89W

Electric Vehicles

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of cars on British roads were electric or hybrid vehicles (a) 10 years ago and (b) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [156557]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number and percentage of licensed electric or hybrid electric cars in Great Britain at (a) the end of 1997 and (b) the end of 2006 were as follows:

Number Percentage

1997

94

< 0.01

2006

17,618

0.06


Ferries: Lymington

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on the environmental impact of plans to increase the water displacement of ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth; and if she will make a statement. [156383]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has received one written representation from a private individual on this subject which included environmental impact concerns. The MCA would expect Wightlink to take these concerns into consideration in its plans for the replacement of the existing vessels. The MCA's primary concern will be the safety of the new vessels and of other users of the waters in which the vessels will be operating.

Freight: Liverpool

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what planning assumptions have been made about the likely growth in freight volumes through the port of Liverpool. [156556]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has itself made no such assumptions: planning to meet growth in traffic is a matter for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. In relation to containers specifically, the Company’s evidence to the inquiry last year into the application for a Harbour Revision Order to permit development of the Seaforth River Terminal included a projection to 2015 of the trend growth-rate of 5.1 per cent. per annum which had been experienced over the 10 years to 2005.

Limehouse Station

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Safety Inspectorate last inspected c2c’s platform capacity at Limehouse Station during peak travel times; and if she will make a statement. [156394]

Mr. Tom Harris: This is an operational matter for c2c.

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her most recent estimate is of the number of uninsured vehicles on British roads; and what
8 Oct 2007 : Column 90W
assessment she has made of trends in numbers of uninsured vehicles. [156319]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Our latest estimate (2005) for uninsured driving is based on a comparison of the vehicle register, maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the Motor Insurance Database. It is that there are about 2.1 million licensed vehicles (about 6.5 per cent. of the UK vehicle fleet) being driven by uninsured drivers.

We have no long-term evidence on trends, however we will make a more up to date assessment of the levels of uninsured driving and there is some recent evidence from the insurance industry showing that for the year 2006 there was a 4.2 per cent. drop in claims for compensation for the victims of uninsured drivers.

Departments: Information Officers

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many press officers are employed by Trinity House; [154656]

(2) how many press officers are employed by the Northern Lighthouse Board. [154666]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse Board employed one full-time member of staff each on press officer activities as at 1 September 2007.

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many press officers are employed by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency; [154718]

(2) how many press officers are employed by the Driving Standards Agency. [154719]

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers are employed by the Vehicle Certification Agency. [154664]

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers are employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. [154431]

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers are employed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. [154163]

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers are employed by the Highways Agency. [154125]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The full-time equivalent number of staff employed on press officer activities on 1 September 2007 by DfT executive agencies is as follows:


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