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18 Feb 2008 : Column 136W—continued
Thomas Purcell
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what length of time Thomas Purcell had been in Maghaberry prison before being transferred to a young offenders centre in England; what age he had been during his time at Maghaberry; and whether he had been attacked while at Maghaberry prison. [186437]
Paul Goggins: Thomas Purcell was in Maghaberry prison for six weeks prior to his transfer on 27 February 2007. He was 19 years of age and there are no reported incidents of him being attacked while at Maghaberry.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons Thomas Purcell was transferred from Maghaberry prison in Northern Ireland to the young offenders centre at Aylesbury. [186445]
Paul Goggins: Thomas Purcell applied for a transfer to serve the remainder of his sentence in England. The transfer of prisoners between UK jurisdictions is governed by Schedule 1 to the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, as set out in PQ UIN 186443, also answered today.
Tourism
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tourists visited Northern Ireland in 2007; and what steps the Government plan to take to increase the number of such tourists. [185670]
Mr. Woodward: Following the restoration of devolution on 8 May 2007, Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive became responsible for the running of the Northern Ireland Departments. Tourism policy and promotion is the responsibility of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and its partner agencies.
I am advised that an estimated 2,051,000 tourists visited Northern Ireland in 2007.
Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre: Crimes of Violence
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are to be introduced to give better protection to staff working at the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre following the recent attack on three staff members. [186156]
Paul Goggins: Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre operates a risk management strategy to protect both staff and young people in its care. Individual risk assessments are carried out on all young people in the centre and these are constantly reviewed and updated as required.
All operational staff must make themselves aware of the individual crisis management plan (ICMP) and any other risk assessment for each young person in their care. They also carry a Blick personal alarm at all times. They are trained in therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI) and physical control in care (PCC) techniques, and suitable protective equipment is available to staff during PCC operations.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what additional funding and training is to be given to staff working at the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre following the recent attack on three members of staff and whether self-defence training will be provided; and if he will make a statement. [186157]
Paul Goggins: Mandatory therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI) and physical control in care (PCC) training is provided to all operational staff within the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre, and this includes suitable refresher training as appropriate. “Breakaway technique” is a specific element of the PCC training which provides guidance to staff on how to safely remove themselves from dangerous situations.
The existing TCI and PCC training programmes are considered appropriate to meet current requirements. However, further training in relation to mental health is presently being explored.
Local management constantly review and update the risk assessments posed by the young people in the Centre, and should additional training requirements be identified, that will be addressed.
Transport
A38: Plymouth
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2008, Official Report, column 2318W, on A38: Plymouth,
what the collision rate was for each month in the last five years for trunk roads similar to the A38 in Devon. [186147]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Highways Agency assesses the relative safety of sections of trunk road on the basis of the number of collisions per 100 million vehicle-km. The figure enables valid comparisons to be made, allowing the collision figures for any section of road irrespective of length, to be viewed in perspective. For shorter lengths of road it is advisable to assess collisions as an average over a period significantly longer than a month, usually at least three years, to minimise the effects of year-on-year variations.
The following table gives collision rates for dual carriageway sections of trunk road in Devon and Cornwall similar to the A38 near Plymouth. The figures are based on the most recent five-year period for which relevant data are available.
| Devon and Cornwall collision data using latest available five-year data , 1 October 2002 to 30 September 2007 | |
| Road section | Collisions per 100 million vehicle-kms |
For comparison purposes, the national injury collision rate for all types of trunk road is 14.9 per 100 million vehicle-km.
A47
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Trans-European Network classification of the A47 road between Great Yarmouth and Peterborough has been amended by the European Commission. [182708]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 30 January 2008]: The Trans-European Network classification of the A47 between Great Yarmouth and the A1 near Peterborough has not been amended by the European Commission.
A628
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the safety of the A628; and what instructions she (a) has given and (b) plans to give the Highways Agency to implement safety measures on the route before 2012. [180963]
Mr. Tom Harris:
Selected safety improvements schemes have been programmed to be carried out at locations on the A628 where high rates of incidents occur. There are four phases to these schemes, three of
which have been completed. The final phase will start in April 2008 and is programmed to be completed in summer 2008.
Safety studies have also been undertaken for the A628 as part of the A57/A628 Mottram-Tintwistle bypass project. The results have been published and are part of the information provided at the public inquiry into the bypass proposals.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by her Department’s agencies (a) in preparation for the A628 Mottram to Tintwistle bypass public inquiry and (b) in total to date. [181973]
Mr. Tom Harris: The A57/A628 Mottram-Tintwistle bypass public inquiry started in June 2007. It has taken three years of preparation to get to this stage. Cost of approximately £11.8 million have been incurred by the Highways Agency in the preparation for the public inquiry of the scheme.
The total cost to date including the public inquiry related costs is approximately £13.7 million.
Air Routes: Felixstowe
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) for what reasons the decision was taken to increase the number of flights flying over Felixstowe; and what factors were taken into consideration before making the decision; [185030]
(2) who took the decision to increase the number of flights over the Felixstowe peninsula and A12 corridor into Essex. [185032]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There has been no recent change to airspace arrangements over Felixstowe. The number of flights results from traffic demand from airports in the area and overflying requirements. This is an operational matter for NATS, the air navigation services provider, and I suggest the hon. Member direct his inquiries to the Chief Executive of NATS.
Ashbourne Bypass
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to allocate adequate funding and support for the construction of a bypass route around the town of Ashbourne in the West Derbyshire constituency. [178595]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Responsibility for a bypass of Ashbourne rests with Derbyshire county council, the local highway authority. It is for the county council to determine its priorities for local transport investment and to make bids for funding to the Department through the regional funding allocations process—the regional statement of priorities. The county council has yet to make such a bid for a bypass of Ashbourne.
Aviation: EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Mr. Carmichael:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration she has given to exemptions from the EU emissions trading scheme in circumstances in which overall emissions from aircraft
are lower than those of alternative forms of transport for comparable routes. [178654]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have a commitment to ensure that aviation reflects the cost of its climate change impacts. The question of emissions from other modes of transport does not directly impact on this. Including aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) forms a crucial part of our climate change strategy, but as part of the negotiations on the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS, member states agreed in December to exempt all flights operating under a public service obligation with an annual capacity threshold of less than 30,000 seats.
Aviation: Pollution
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of aircraft (i) air pollution and (ii) noise on populations underneath a flight path. [185020]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has not, in recent years, commissioned research on air pollution or noise under flight paths that are some distance from airports. Air quality impacts from aviation are believed to be quite localised, with limited ground level effect from emissions above 100 m.
The Secretary of State announced the conclusions of the ‘Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources’ in England (ANASE) study (commissioned in 2001) on 2 November 2007, including a letter of explanation to all MPs. The full report and related papers are available in the Library of the House, and on the Department’s website at:
The Secretary of State launched the consultation ‘Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport’ on 22 November 2007. It runs until 27 February 2008. This reports on the outcome of a three-year programme of assessment of the environmental impacts in the Heathrow area.
Aviation: Public Participation
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are in place by which members of the public who are affected by the decisions of the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services concerning overflying and air safety measures may hold those bodies to account. [185450]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has a clear process for deciding upon airspace changes, as set out in the Airspace Charter (CAP724) and Guidance on the Airspace Change Process (CAP725).
Sponsors of airspace changes, mostly NATS, the air navigation services provider, or airports, are responsible for developing and consulting upon proposals. Detailed guidance is given on what impacts are to be taken into account, how they should be measured and who should be consulted. Informed by the consultation, the sponsor submits the proposal to the CAA’s Directorate of Airspace Policy for
assessment. In determining whether to accept or reject a proposal, the CAA’s process reflects the Secretary of State’s directions and guidance to the CAA on the exercise of its statutory duties and environmental objectives.
There is no direct statutory right of appeal against the Director of Airspace Policy’s decision. However, the Airspace change process requires that the CAA review an airspace change 12 months after implementation to determine whether the airspace change, as approved, has been implemented and whether the anticipated safety, capacity, efficiency and environmental benefits have materialised.
Aviation: Suffolk
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the likely effect of expansion of (a) Heathrow and (b) Stansted airport on the height at which planes fly over Suffolk. [185031]
Jim Fitzpatrick: It is not for the Secretary of State for Transport to assess the effect of expansion at (a) Heathrow and (b) Stansted on the height at which planes fly over Suffolk.
Subject to Government policy support for expansion at Heathrow and Stansted, it is a commercial decision for the airport operator, BAA, to determine whether to pursue expansion plans.
If it did so, BAA would seek the support of NATS, the air navigation services provider, to develop a detailed airspace change proposal in accordance with arrangements under the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)'s independent Airspace Change Process. CAA Guidance on the Application of the Airspace Change Process (CAP725) provides detailed advice on the process. It would be for the CAA's Director of Airspace Policy to assess any airspace change proposal against regulatory requirements and determine whether any such change should be approved.
Aviation: Turkey
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress she has made in contacting the Turkish director general of Civil Aviation on behalf of the hon. Member for Forest of Dean. [178817]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department is still awaiting a substantive response from the Turkish directorate general of Civil Aviation regarding an incident on 7 September involving Onur Air. It is actively pursuing this matter with the Turkish authorities. In the meantime, Onur Air is subject to safety inspections from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Biofuels: Garages and Petrol Stations
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many UK petrol stations sell ethanol fuels. [185062]
Jim Fitzpatrick
[holding answer 6 February 2008]: Petrol containing small amounts of ethanol is widely available at a large number of UK filling stations and is suitable for use in any petrol-engined vehicle. This type
of petrol is sometimes referred to as "E5 fuel", because it contains less than 5 per cent. ethanol by volume. Petrol pumps dispensing E5 fuel do not need to be labelled any differently from regular petrol pumps, and the Government do not keep data on the number of petrol stations selling E5 fuel at any given time. Information on the total amount of ethanol sold in the UK is, however, available via the HMRC website at http://www.uktradeinfo.com. This shows that in 2007, for example, around 150 million litres of ethanol were blended into UK petrol (some 0.6 per cent. of total UK petrol sales).
Certain types of vehicle, sometimes referred to as "flex-fuel" vehicles, can run on much higher blends of ethanol. There are around 20 filling stations in the UK selling petrol containing up to 85 per cent. ethanol by volume ("E85 fuels"). Details of the location of these filling stations are available via the Energy Saving Trust's website at:
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