Previous Section Index Home Page

9 Oct 2007 : Column 488W—continued


9 Oct 2007 : Column 489W

Written Questions

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to answer question (a) 148539 on civil servants and (b) 148535 on advertising: gambling, tabled by the hon. Member for Bath on 4 July 2007. [156248]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Both questions were answered on 3 October.

Transport

A1: Nottinghamshire

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the removal of six roundabouts on the A1 in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. [156690]

Mr. Tom Harris: Construction work has commenced at all six roundabout junctions, with the most significant progress being made at Blyth, Apleyhead and Gonerby Moor.

Overall project completion is expected in early 2009. This is slightly later than originally programmed due to the effects of the wet weather during the summer and refocusing traffic management to minimise the impact of the works on the travelling public.

Biofuels

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) volume and (b) proportion of biofuels used in England was (i) imported and (ii) produced domestically in each of the last five years; what the equivalent estimated figures are for each year up to 2010; and what impact this had upon reducing carbon emissions from vehicles. [154745]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The total quantities of biofuels released for consumption in the UK are available via the HM Revenue and Customs website at http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulloil. Annual figures are summarised in the following table. Information on the carbon savings associated with these biofuels is not available.

Annual quantities of biofuels released for consumption in the UK and estimated carbon savings
M illions of litres
Biodiesel Bioethanol

2002

3

0

2003

19

0

2004

21

0

2005

33

85

2006

169

95


Provisional figures suggest that the total quantity of biofuel released for consumption over the first eight months of 2007 amounted to some 318 million litres, or around 1 per cent. of total road transport fuel sales. The Government do not hold precise data on the origin of these fuels, and information on the carbon savings associated with them is not available. All of the bioethanol over the period in question was imported,
9 Oct 2007 : Column 490W
whereas a significant amount of the biodiesel was produced in the UK. During 2006 and 2007, however, imports of biodiesel rose sharply.

The Government are due to introduce a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2008. This should create a demand for around 1 billion litres of biofuel in 2008, rising to around 1.75 billion litres in 2009 and 2.5 billion litres in 2010. We anticipate that this demand will be met by both imported and domestically produced biofuels. The carbon savings will depend on a number of factors, including the carbon intensity of the biofuels transport fuel suppliers choose to source. The RTFO’s reporting requirements are designed to provide a strong incentive for transport fuel suppliers to source sustainable, low-carbon biofuels.

The Government have also announced that from 2010-11 they aim to reward biofuels under the RTFO according to the amount of carbon they save. This should provide greater certainty over the level of carbon savings that the biofuels should deliver. Further details are set out in an informal policy paper which is available via this Department’s website at

British Transport Police: Information Officers

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers are employed by the British Transport Police. [154134]

Mr. Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at:

Departments: Accountancy

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what accounts directions were issued by her Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. [156645]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Under the Government Resource and Accounts Act 2000, HM Treasury issue accounts directions to Departments, pension schemes and agencies and under the Government Trading Fund Act 1973 to trading funds.

For the years 2005-06 and 2006-07 Department for Transport has issued accounts directions for the form and content of resource and other accounts to the following sponsored bodies:

2005-06

2006-07


9 Oct 2007 : Column 491W

East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she has taken to ensure that the successful bidder for the Inter City East Coast franchise includes in their operations a major commitment to environmental sustainability; and what measures have been taken to ensure that such a commitment is an objective when awarding other new rail franchise contracts. [155729]

Mr. Tom Harris: Bidders for the Inter City East Coast franchise were required to set out plans for measuring and reducing the environmental impact of their rail activities. They also had to address the main environmental impacts of rail operation, (carbon emissions, air quality and noise); to take account of the need to conserve resources; and to reduce waste and the contamination of water and land. The winning bidder committed, among other initiatives, to reduce fuel consumption per passenger kilometre by 28 per cent. over the franchise term and to invest £400,000 to reduce energy use at stations and depots.

Great Western Trains

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many extra carriages First Great Western will receive out of the recently announced national total of 1,300; and what change there has been in the number of carriages on the First Great Western franchise since 1997. [155787]

Mr. Tom Harris: It is too early to provide details on the nature and deployment on the balance of the new rolling stock. The bulk of this will be agreed with the
9 Oct 2007 : Column 492W
rail industry following publication in November of the industry proposals to deliver the high level output specification. The Department for Transport will publish a rolling stock plan in January 2008.

Details on the number of carriages operated by individual franchises in the past are not held by the Department.

Lorries: Safety

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many heavy goods vehicle annual safety tests were conducted by VOSA in each financial year since 2000-01; and what percentage of heavy goods vehicles failed (a) initial and (b) final safety test in each financial year. [155985]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) publishes figures of how many heavy goods vehicle annual safety tests were conducted by VOSA in each financial year since 2000-01; and what percentage of heavy goods vehicles failed (a) initial and (b) final safety test in each financial year in its Effectiveness Report. This is available on-line at www.vosa.gov.uk or in the House of Commons Library, Business and Transport Section.

Motor Vehicles: Safety

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) private cars and light vehicles, (b) motorcycles, (c) public service vehicles, (d) trailers for heavy goods vehicles and (e) heavy goods vehicles were recalled on safety grounds in each financial year since 2000-01. [156052]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) was formed in April 2003. VOSA is responsible for the publication of vehicle safety recalls. Its records indicate:

Private cars and light vehicles Heavy goods vehicles Commercial, trailers Motorcycles Public service vehicles

2003

134,407

62,513

726

13,775

2,800

2004

764,336

80,030

4,134

36,708

2,384

2005

1,007,345

71,681

4,311

45,650

12,843

2006

923,867

53,692

195

45,108

4,026


Please note, although the above number of vehicles have been recalled, they may not have proved to be defective. VOSA's figures are recorded by calendar year not financial year. To break these figures down into financial year would result in disproportionate costs.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) class 3 and 4 vehicles and (b) goods vehicles between 3 tonne and 3.5 tonne gross weight took an MOT test in each financial year since 2001; and how many and what percentage failed in each year. [156051]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) publishes figures of how many (a) class 3 and 4 vehicles and (b) goods vehicles between 3 tonne and 3.5 tonne gross weight took an MOT test in each financial year since 2001; and how many and what percentage failed in each year in its effectiveness report. This is available on-line at www.vosa.gov.uk or in the House of Commons Library, Business and Transport Section.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) grade 7 equivalent and above managers, (b) testers, (c) vehicle inspectors and (d) vehicle examiners were employed in (i) the Vehicle
9 Oct 2007 : Column 493W
Inspectorate and (ii) the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in each financial year since 2000-01. [156053]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) was formed in April 2003. The following table indicates the number of posts it had for the roles requested, as at 1 April of each year.

Grade7+ Tester Vehicle inspector Vehicle examiner

2003

40

121

401

494

2004

43

110

427

542

2005

46

94

424

556

2006

53

80

417

524

2007

55

66

397

502


Figures prior to 2003 for the Vehicle Inspectorate could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Similar information on staff numbers was published in the Vehicle Inspectorates Annual Reports, a copy of which was placed in the House of Commons Library, Business and Transport section.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many MOT vehicle testing stations are in operation. [156057]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of approved MOT garages at 1 October 2007 was 18,950.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many MOT vehicle testing stations were routinely inspected (as opposed to having a targeted inspection) to ensure that they complied with safety and other requirements in each financial year since 2000-01. [156058]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) publishes figures of how many MOT vehicle testing stations were routinely inspected (as opposed to having a targeted inspection) to ensure that they complied with safety and other requirements in each financial year since 2003 in its Effectiveness Report. This is available on-line at www.vosa.gov.uk or in the House of Commons Library, Business and Transport Section. Any figures prior to 2003 can be found in The Vehicles Inspectorate report in the House of Commons Library, Business and Transport Section.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the MOT Enforcement Transformation programme is; how MOT vehicle testing stations will be classified in the future; what safety checking regimes are for each class of MOT vehicle testing station; and how it was determined that the new checking regimes will work effectively. [156059]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) MOT Enforcement Transformation programme supports the delivery of a number of its strategic objectives to improve the quality and consistency of the private vehicle testing service to the public. Focussing on non-compliant MOT garages, the risk based programme aims to improve MOT testing standards and operational efficiency.


Next Section Index Home Page