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7 Feb 2008 : Column 1417W—continued
Personal injury accidents—predicted and observed (five years after opening).
These data will be produced in accordance with the Department's New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) and Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) methodologies. The carbon emissions will be calculated in line with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges environmental assessment guidance.
This exercise is due to completed by the end of March 2008 following which the information will be published on the Agency's website and placed in the Libraries of the House.
Rolling Stock
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 30 January 2008, Official Report, columns 18-20WS, on rolling stock, what the timetable is for (a) production and (b) the allocation to the train operating companies of the additional units; and if she will ensure that the introduction of new rolling stock improves passenger comfort, with particular reference to the Portsmouth Mainline Express service using Desiro 440 units; and if she will make a statement. [185012]
Mr. Tom Harris: The timing of the introduction of the new rolling stock is one of the issues that will be agreed with the train operating companies (including South West Trains) and Network Rail.
New rolling stock brings additional capacity and comfort to address the growing demand on Britain’s railways.
Sea Rescue: Iceland
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will hold discussions with her counterpart in Iceland to improve bi-lateral coastguard co-operation. [183326]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is actively working with their counter parts in Iceland to improve coastguard co-operation in the North Atlantic. The Icelandic Minister with responsibility for the Icelandic Coast Guard is visiting Dover Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in February as part of this process.
Tolls: Road Signs and Markings
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what (a) sign designs and (b) broad principles of sign location for the Central London congestion charging scheme have been agreed between her Department and Transport for London; [184955]
(2) what designs of sign relating to the Central London congestion charging scheme have been authorised under sections 64 and 65 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984; and when such authorisations were granted. [184956]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has authorised the design of 28 traffic signs and road markings for the Central London congestion charging scheme under sections 64 and 65 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. These designs have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The following table shows when these authorisations were provided:
| Traffic signs (numbers) | Date authorised |
In addition, the Department authorised:
(i) the use of sign number 6 (from above table) with the motorway telephone symbol (Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions diagram 2713.1) (15 January 2003);
(ii) the legend, “avoiding charge”, to be placed on advanced direction signs (9 May 2005).
There are no drawings for these signs.
The authorisations provided to Transport for London require that the relevant traffic signs be placed on or near roads entering and exiting the scheme; that advanced signs are placed on the main routes in surrounding counties and at 2Â1/2miles and Â1/2mile from the boundary; and that repeater signs can be placed within the scheme.
Trains: Taunton
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train carriages were used by each train operating company for trains stopping at Taunton in (a) 2007, (b) 2006 and (c) 1997. [178992]
Mr. Tom Harris: Franchised train operators serving Taunton in 2007 were Cross Country (Virgin Trains) and First Great Western (FGW). Most Cross Country trains stopping at Taunton were formed of either four or five carriages and most FGW trains of between one and eight. The position would have been broadly similar after March 2006. The Department does not hold comparable figures for 1997.
Justice
Bail
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s most recent guidance on bail. [184625]
Maria Eagle: The most recent guidance relating to bail is Probation Circular 33/2007—New Accommodation And Support Service For Bail and Home Detention Curfew. A copy has been placed in the Library.
It is not for Government to provide guidance to the courts on issues which touch on judicial discretion. Training is provided by the independent Judicial Studies Board, however as the decisions on bail are judicial matters, guidance on how to implement bail is provided in the form of decision of superior courts and The Practice Directions of the Lord Chief Justice.
Circumcisions: Females
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what average sentence was handed down for a person found to have been carrying out female circumcision in each of the last five years. [184845]
Maria Eagle: There were no sentences handed down for the offence of female genital mutilation in the last five years for which annual published sentencing statistics are available.
Figures for 2007 will be available from autumn 2008.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of his Department’s expenditure was on advertising in each year since establishment. [182985]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice came into existence on 9 May 2007. Since then it has spent £1.5 million on advertising, representing 0.02 per cent. of its total budget of £9.16 billion for 2007-08.
Departmental Assets
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what departmental assets are planned to be sold in each financial year from 2007-08 to 2010-11; what the (a) description and (b) book value of each asset is; what the expected revenue from each sale is; and if he will make a statement. [164155]
Bridget Prentice: The table details the asset description and the book value of each asset that the Ministry of Justice has disposed or plans to dispose of from 2007-08 to 2010-11. The expected revenue is detailed as an annual figure due to the commercial sensitivities attached to the expected revenue of each individual asset.
We are developing our asset management strategy and a property asset management plan to improve our use of property assets and achieve a better fit with our service delivery model. Those properties that represent poor value, do not fit the business or service delivery model, or are surplus to requirement will be reviewed with a view to disposal and re-use of any receipt to provide facilities that are more efficient and better located. Current disposal plans include the phasing out of quarters previously used to house prison staff and some rationalisation where we have courts or tribunals in the same vicinity. Local consultation is required before closure of courts where this would remove the facility from a town.
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