| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
5 Feb 2008 : Column 1009W—continued
Departmental Telephone Services
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue was generated by each (a) 0845 and (b) 0870 telephone code used for customer enquiry lines by her Department's agencies in each of the last five years. [183953]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The following agencies of the Department for Transport have 0870 telephone codes which generated the following revenue over the last five years—no 0845 codes generated revenue:
| DVLA | DSA | VOSA | |
| (1) Not available. | |||
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles were (a) owned and (b) purchased by her Department and its predecessors in each of the last 10 years. [183295]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002. Information for the period prior to this date is not in all cases recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the requested information, where available, has been placed in the Library of the House.
Driving: Personal Records
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date (a) she, (b) the Permanent Secretary and (c) the Department’s press office were informed that a computer hard drive containing details of three million learner drivers had been mislaid by Pearson Driving Assessments Ltd. [181501]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 24 January 2008]: The Secretary of State for Transport and the Permanent Secretary were both informed on 28 November 2007.
The Department’s press office was informed subsequently in the run up to the Secretary of State’s statement to the House on the 17 December 2007.
Eurostar North Pole Depot: Greater London
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the future of the Eurostar North Pole depot in West London. [183455]
Mr. Tom Harris: The transfer of North Pole Depot to BRB (Residuary) Ltd. was completed on 31 January. BRB (Residuary) Ltd. has been asked to provide a valuation and to dispose of the site. Prior to any disposal, there will be a further check with relevant stakeholders to confirm our initial assessment that there is no further rail use for this site.
BRB (Residuary) Ltd. will be asked to follow established and published guidance in consulting with relevant stakeholders on the disposal of the former Eurostar depot at North Pole. The latest guidance was announced to Parliament on 26 July 2007. Copies of
that guidance are available in the Library of the House and on the BRB (Residuary) Ltd. website at www.brbr.gov.uk.
Fares: Concessions
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the national concessionary fares scheme offers concessions to people with mental health illness; and if she will make a statement. [183632]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The current statutory concession does not include those people with mental health illness. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 does not change the criteria regarding eligibility on age or disability for the national bus concession, to be implemented in April. Those eligible are people aged 60 and over, or people who have one of the seven categories of disability listed in the Transport Act 2000. Local authorities retain their discretion to offer concessionary travel to other groups of people, over and above the statutory minimum, at their own expense.
The Transport Act 2000 defines an eligible disabled person as one who:
(a) is blind or partially sighted;
(b) is profoundly or severely deaf;
(c) is without speech;
(d) has a disability, or has suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to walk;
(e) does not have arms or has long-term loss of the use of both arms;
(f) has a learning disability, that is, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning; or
(g) would, if he applied for the grant of a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have his application refused pursuant to section 92 of that Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.
First Capital Connect
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the performance of First Capital Connect in meeting its (a) rail franchise obligations and (b) targets; and if she will make a statement. [184528]
Mr. Tom Harris: To date First Capital Connect has delivered all the franchise obligations that it was due to meet.
First Capital Connect has met each of the three performance benchmarks specified in the Franchise Agreement in each of the railway periods it has been in operation.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the action taken by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency with respect to Mr. Paul Waugh. [184489]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has not taken any action against Mr. Paul Waugh nor do they have any plans to do so. Mr. Waugh has left the Coastguard Rescue Service.
Motor Vehicles: Accidents
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many accidents reported to the police in the last five years involved motor vehicles without (a) a valid MOT certificate and (b) up to date car tax; [184771]
(2) how many motor vehicle accidents reported to the police in the last five years involved drivers with no valid insurance. [184772]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Motorcycles: Rural Areas
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to protect those using rural footpaths and trails from irresponsibly driven off-road vehicles. [178594]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
We have produced enforcement guidance to deal with the inappropriate use of vehicles off road. This guidance sets out the extensive statutory powers already available to deal with the misuse and draws on existing best practice examples of police and local authorities working in successful partnerships.
Motorways: Speed Limits
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider harmonising motorway speed limits in England with those on equivalent roads in France and Germany; and if she will make a statement. [184400]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department focuses its attention on making sure the motorway speed limit, as with all other speed limits, remain appropriate for UK roads, and has no plans to consider harmonising the UK motorway speed limit with any other country.
Network Rail
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what systems are operated by the Office of Rail Regulation for the proactive monitoring of Network Rail’s compliance with Condition 7 (network stewardship) of its network licence; [180873]
(2) when the review of Network Rail’s network licence being undertaken by the Office of Rail Regulation will be concluded; and when its results will be published; [180876]
(3) what systems are operated by the Office of Rail Regulation for the proactive monitoring of Network Rail’s compliance with the dependent persons code of practice established by Network Rail under Condition 25 of its network licence. [180877]
Mr. Tom Harris: The monitoring of Network Rail's compliance with its network licence and any review of the licence are matters for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
ORR informs me that it has in place robust processes regularly to review and assess Network Rail’s compliance
with its network licence and that it will investigate promptly any complaints by Network Rail’s customers in relation to breach of Condition 25 of its licence.
The ORR informs me that it aims to complete its review of Network Rail’s network licence during the 2008-09 business year.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the contracts between the Office of Rail Regulation and the regulatory reporters appointed under Condition 23 of Network Rail’s network licence. [180874]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is an independent body. It is a matter for ORR, with the agreement of its reporters and Network Rail, who are both parties to the contract, whether to publish these contracts. However, the ORR informs me that the contract specification was published in the Official Journal of the European Union at the time of tendering for the reporter.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with (a) the chairman and (b) chief executive of Network Rail on that organisation's proposals for new high speed lines in the UK. [183614]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Secretary of State regularly meets Network Rail to discuss a range of issues of common interest.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2008, Official Report, column 1821W, on Network Rail, on what date the meeting with Iain Coucher on 3 January 2008 was arranged; and when the most recent previous meeting with a senior executive of Network Rail took place. [184808]
Mr. Tom Harris: The meeting between the Secretary of State for Transport and Iain Coucher on 3 January 2008 was arranged that day.
The previous meeting between the Secretary of State and a senior executive of Network Rail took place on 13 November 2007.
Parking
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what records her Department keeps of the number of successful appeals against local authorities for local authority parking enforcement measures. [184481]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 November 2007, Official Report, column 297W, given to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers).
Political Impartiality
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what purpose her Department records the political opinions of (a) staff and (b) the public. [179322]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Civil servants are required to act in accordance with the requirements of the “Civil Service Code”, and section 4.4 of the “Civil Service Management Code”.
Members of the public who apply for public appointments within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner for Public Appointments are asked to complete a declaration on political activity.
Railway Stations
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2008, Official Report, column 547W, on railway stations, which stations have been (a) opened and (b) re-opened since 1 May 1997. [181624]
Mr. Tom Harris: The information is as follows:
Stations opened since 1 May 1997 : :
Ashchurch for Tewkesbury
Rugeley Town
Euxton Balshaw Lane
Brunswick
Dalgety Bay
Drumfrochar
Whitwell
Creswell
Langwith—Whaley Thorns
Shirebrook
Conway Park
Canning Town
West Ham
West Brompton
Norwich Parkway
Luton Airport Parkway
Dunfermline Queen Margaret
Wavertree Technology Park
Lea Green
Warwick Parkway
How Wood
Newcraighall
Brunstane
Edinburgh Park
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |