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17 Jan 2008 : Column 1408W—continued
Transport
A63
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to de-trunk the A63. [179697]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Highways Agency published Draft Statutory Orders to de-trunk the A63/A19 route, between the Boot and Shoe roundabout at Micklefield and Loftsome Bridge, on 28 June 2007. A number of objections have been received to the proposal from local councils, including North Yorkshire county council and Leeds city council. Objections have also been received from the hon. Member for Selby (Mr. Grogan) and some local residents. The Highways Agency aims to resolve the objections to enable de-trunking in 2008.
Aviation: Noise
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport public consultation has taken account of the Putting noise on the map airport noise maps information published on 18th December 2007 by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to Heathrow airport; and if she will make a statement. [176961]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 7 January 2008]: Paragraphs 51-54 of Annex E of the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport Consultation document drew attention to the requirements of the European Environmental Noise Directive (END) 2002/49 EC for major airports to produce strategic noise maps. Following preparations of the noise maps, airports will have to produce action plans setting out measures to mitigate aircraft noise.
However the consultation document noted that, given the difference in parameters, it was not possible to draw any meaningful conclusions between the END Lden maps and the annual summer Leq contours used by the Department. The environmental commitment given in the Future of Air Transport White Paper undertook not to increase the size of the area significantly affected by noise as measured by the annual departmental 57dBA Leq noise contour.
British Railways Board
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are employed by the British Railways Board (Residuary); and what that body’s budget was in 2006-07. [178138]
Mr. Tom Harris: Full details of BRB (Residuary) Ltd.’s budget and results for 2006-07 are available in the annual report and accounts for the company which can be found on their website at www.brbr.gov.uk
This shows that the company made a statutory profit before tax of £9.4 million in 2006-07 and employed 27 people on a full-time equivalent basis.
Commissioners of Irish Lights: Finance
Mr. Brazier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the Review of Funding for
the Commissioners of Irish Lights in hard copy and electronically. [179005]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 14 January 2008, Official Report, column 843W. The report of the Irish Lights Study will be published in hard copy and in electronic format.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Republic of Ireland (a) have contributed to the funding of the Commissioners of Irish Lights in the last five years, (b) will contribute to the funding of the Commissioners of Irish Lights for 2007-08 and (c) is recommended to contribute towards the funding of the Commissioners of Irish Lights by the recent review of such funding. [179006]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is set out as follows.
| Irish Government supplement ( €000 ) | Light dues collected in ROI ( €000 ) | Sundry income generated in the ROI ( €000 ) | Total contributed by ROI to the GLF ( €000 ) | Average exchange rate for year | Total contributed by ROI to the GLF (£000) | |
| Note: The Irish Lights Evidence Study has not yet been completed. Following its completion there will be negotiations between the two Governments to determine appropriate contributions towards the funding of the Commissioners of Irish Lights. | ||||||
Daedalus Airfield
Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the status of Daedalus airfield at Lee-on-Solent. [179830]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency and its parent Department, the Department for Transport have now reviewed the status of Daedalus airfield and are of the view that it is not a Government aerodrome, within the meaning of the Air Navigation Order 2005. It is a civilian (unlicensed) aerodrome in the occupation of the Hampshire Police Authority (HPA).
The HPA occupies the site as lessee and under the terms of its lease is responsible for the operational management of the aerodrome, including matters of safety and airfield access.
Departmental Redundancy
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of redundancies in her Department in the 12 months preceding (a) 30 June 2004, (b) 30 June 2005 and (c) 30 June 2006. [175339]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and its agencies had no compulsory or voluntary redundancies between 2004 and 2006, but made headcount reductions by undertaking voluntary staff exit schemes, including early retirements. The cost across the seven agencies and the central Department based on financial accounting years were:
| £ million | |
The Department is only able to provide derails of the voluntary exit schemes in the time spans requested at disproportionate cost.
Electric Vehicles
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the contribution to (a) carbon dioxide emissions and (b) congestion reduction targets of permitting the use of two-wheeled, self-balancing electric transportation devices on the public highway; what plans she has to bring forward measures to allow the use of such devices on such highways; and if she will meet representations of manufacturers of such devices to discuss their merits. [179961]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the contribution to carbon dioxide emission or congestion reduction targets of permitting the use of two-wheeled, self-balancing electric transportation devices. However, if, as I understand, their use is likely to be as an alternative to walking or cycling then their potential in terms of greenhouse gas and local pollution reduction would appear to be at best negligible.
There have been a number of meetings, demonstrations and exchanges of correspondence, both at ministerial and official level, with manufacturer representatives. There are currently no plans for further meetings.
Freight
Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage changes there were in the
movement of freight within the United Kingdom by (a) road, (b) rail, (c) water and (d) pipeline in each year since 2001. [178145]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The available information on domestic freight by mode for Great Britain is published in Transport Statistics in Great Britain Table 4.1. The web link for this table is:
| Table: Domestic freight transport by mode | ||||||||
| Billion tonne kilometres/percentage | ||||||||
| Goods moved | ||||||||
| Road | Rail( 1) | Water | Pipeline | |||||
| Billion tonne kilometres | Percentage inc. | Billion tonne kilometres | Percentage inc. | Billion tonne kilometres | Percentage inc. | Billion tonne kilometres | Percentage inc. | |
| (1) Rail figures are for financial years. Sources: Road and Water, DFT; Rail, ORR; Pipeline, BERR. | ||||||||
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual movement of freight by road, in billion tonne kilometres, was in each year since 1997. [178133]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Annual figures for the level of road freight activity by GB-registered goods vehicles in Great Britain (measured in billion tonne kilometres), excluding foreign vehicle activity, are shown in the following table.
| Goods moved (billion tonne kilometres) | |
| Source: Table 4.1, Transport Statistics Great Britain 2007. | |
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