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4 Feb 2008 : Column 783W—continued
An additional £19 million in Government funding was made available for VisitBritain’s Million Visitor overseas marketing campaign in 2001-02, to support the industry following the foot and mouth disease outbreak of 2001-02, and the events of 9/11.
VisitBritain: Finance
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding will be allocated to VisitBritain to encourage tourism associated with the 2012 London Olympic Games (a) in the UK and (b) overseas in each year to 2012. [184019]
Margaret Hodge: DCMS and VisitBritain are working to maximise the impact of public funding for 2012-related tourism work. VisitBritain is currently leading a Strategic Review to examine how we can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the expenditure of £350 million invested by public bodies to support tourism. DCMS and VisitBritain are considering the best mechanisms for using funding at all levels to promote the UK at home and in overseas markets, between now and the 2012 games. This includes the best use of VisitBritain’s funding allocation from DCMS.
The review follows the publication of the DCMS-led Tourism Strategy for 2012 last September, and includes full consultation with devolved, regional, and local government, and the tourism industry.
Transport
A1
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to make a decision on the inspector's report on the Dishforth to Barton A1 motorway scheme; and when she expects the construction to start. [183703]
Mr. Tom Harris:
We are considering a number of issues on this scheme including the inspector's report, the scheme cost and delivery timetable. We are working through these issues as quickly as possible and expect to be in a position to announce the way forward for this
scheme by spring 2008. Subject to the scheme orders being confirmed and the availability of funding, the earliest date for start of works on site would be autumn 2008.
Airports: Finance
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research her Department has commissioned on the economic consequences of building new (a) airports and (b) runways. [181621]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The economic appraisal of options for additional UK airport capacity, including both a new airport and new runways at existing airports, supporting the 2003 ‘Future of Air Transport’ White Paper was reported in ‘Passenger Forecasts—Additional Analysis’. This is available at:
Updated economic appraisal of options supported in the White Paper was reported in ‘UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts’. This is available at:
The Department for Transport also jointly commissioned the 2006 Oxford Economic Forecasting report ‘The Economic Contribution of the Aviation Industry in the UK’, available at:
Aviation: EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effects of the proposed EU emissions trading scheme on regional airlines providing services to remote communities; and what steps she plans to take to prevent the scheme undermining the viability of such services. [178665]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The impact on regional airlines has been assessed as part of the UK's policy development on this issue. The UK recognises the importance of air services to remote communities and therefore welcomes the recently agreed Council text which would exempt all flights operating under a public service obligation with an annual capacity threshold of less than 30,000 seats.
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average carbon emissions were per UK air passenger in each year since 1997. [178148]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table provides estimates of aviation carbon dioxide emissions per passenger for all domestic and international air passengers flying from UK airports in each year from 1997 to 2005.
| Estimate of average CO 2 emissions per passenger flying from UK airports, 1997 to 2005 | ||||||
| Domestic aviation | International aviation | |||||
| Carbon dioxide (Million tonnes) | Departing passengers (Million) | CO 2 per passenger (Tonnes) | Carbon dioxide (Million tonnes) | Departing passengers (Million) | CO 2 per passenger (Tonnes) | |
| Notes: 1. The emissions figures in the table are in the common format of ‘weight of carbon dioxide’; to convert to ‘weight of carbon’ figures should be multiplied by a factor of 12/44. 2. Domestic aviation includes all departures from UK airports flying to another UK airport. International aviation includes all departures from a UK airport flying to a destination outside of the UK. These will carry both UK and foreign passengers. 3. The aviation CO2 emissions capture only those from the first leg of a flight (e.g. emissions for a passenger flying from London to Australia via Singapore will only reflect London to Singapore). 4. The aviation CO2 emissions are only those from departing aircraft (excluding military aircraft) and therefore the figures in the table do not reflect emissions from surface access nor emissions from airport buildings. Emissions from freighter aircraft have been allocated to passengers in these illustrative figures. 5. The CO2 emissions do not account for non-CO2 climate change effects of aviation emissions. Sources: Carbon dioxide emissions, table 5 of DEFRA’s Statistical Release “UK Emissions of Greenhouse Gases”. Passengers - Civil Aviation Authority statistics. | ||||||
The average CO2 per passenger figures in the aforementioned table have been calculated by dividing total CO2 emissions from departing flights by the number of departing passengers. They do not therefore reflect a weighted average of emissions to account for the relative number of flights flying different trip lengths. The level of emissions per passenger will be affected by such factors as load factors, type of aircraft used, fuel efficiency changes, etc.
Aviation: Pakistan
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the safety of UK-based aircraft crews flying into Islamabad. [180225]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government responsibility for the safety of UK citizens travelling overseas is discharged through the provision of travel advice by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The safety and security of air crews while in any location around the world is a matter for the airlines, as their employer.
The Department for Transport requires UK airlines operating overseas to put appropriate security measures in place to protect their aircraft operation at each location to which they fly. These arrangements, including those in Pakistan, are regularly assessed.
Cycling: Accidents
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents there were involving cyclists in each constituency in England in each of the last five years. [183644]
Jim Fitzpatrick: A table showing the number of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one pedal cyclist for each parliamentary constituency in England for 2002 to 2006 has been deposited in the Libraries of the House.
Driving Tests
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to her statement of 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 624, on Department for Transport data storage, whether the data on the hard disc drive mislaid by Pearson Driving Assessments had been processed. [176273]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The data held on the hard disc drive had been processed.
Driving: Licensing
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether plans are in place to change the regulations for the renewal of driving licences for people aged over 70 years; and if she will make a statement. [183965]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There are currently no plans to change the regulations for the renewal of driving licences for drivers aged 70 and over.
Eurostar
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys were taken on Eurostar by staff of her Department in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) business premier, (b) standard, (c) leisure select and (d) other ticket types. [178844]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost as the financial systems used by the Department for Transport to record rail travel do not differentiate Eurostar travel.
Eurostar North Pole Depot: Greater London
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding from the public purse has been provided for the former Eurostar North Pole depot in West London. [183456]
Mr. Tom Harris: The asset transferred from Eurostar (UK) Ltd. to BRB (Residuary) Ltd. on 31 January, under the arrangements for providing Eurostar (UK) Ltd. with a new depot at Temple Mills. This transfer involved no costs to the public purse. BRB (Residuary) Ltd. is now responsible for managing all the costs and benefits of North Pole depot.
Heathrow Airport
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if she will publish the research informing the assumptions made on the fleet mix expected to be using Heathrow in 2020 in (a) the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow study, (b) the consultation document “Adding Capacity at Heathrow” and (c) in the work done to prepare for 2003 White Paper on the Future of Air Transport; [170701]
(2) in what respect the assumptions made on the fleet mix expected to be using Heathrow in 2020 used in the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow Study differ from those used in the work done to prepare for the 2003 White Paper on the Future of Air Transport. [170702]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The basis of air traffic forecasts and fleet mix assumptions for both (a) and (b) is explained in annex C of the consultation document “Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport”. The fleet profile for modelling purposes was based on BAA’s fleet mix assumptions, informed by historic trends on fleet replacement and discussions with major airlines about likely future trends. The predicted fleet profile in future years is illustrated in the supporting technical reports—for example, the “Emission Summaries and Emissions Methodology” reports, and chapter 2 and table 2.3 in the “Revised Future Aircraft Noise Exposure Estimates” report by the Civil Aviation Authority. All these documents are available via the Department’s website:
Fleet mix assumptions at the time of the White Paper are set out in the equivalent CAA report 0307 (December 2003).
Heathrow Airport: Public Participation
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects households in wards in Putney who have not already done so to receive a copy of the consultation document, Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport; and if she will make a statement. [183607]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 31 January 2008]: The criterion applied in issuing copies of the Heathrow consultation summary and response form was: those living within the 57dBA contour; more specifically, those most directly affected by any development at the airport. On that basis, copies were sent to 217,346 households, of which 9,153 are in the hon. Member's constituency. If the hon. Member believes that households within her constituency meeting this criterion did not receive a copy of the summary and response form in the distribution, we will look into this and, if necessary, send out summary material to these households.
In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the consultation document and supporting materials are freely available to anyone with an interest from the Department's website. Printed copies may also be obtained via our dedicated call centre.
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