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5 Mar 2008 : Column 2531W—continued
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age was of people killed in road traffic accidents on the A130 between Sadlers Farm, Benfleet and Waterside Farm, Canvey Island in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [191798]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There was only one fatality resulting from a reported personal injury road accident on the A130 between the roundabout at Sadlers Farm, Benfleet and the roundabout at Waterside Farm, Canvey Island in the last 10 years (occurring in 1999). Age information is not disclosed for single fatalities.
Aircraft: Air Conditioning
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on air contamination levels in commercial aircraft. [190765]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 29 February 2008]: The Government do not want anyone to be at risk to their health when flying and is leading the world in research on this issue.
To date the UK has (i) commissioned a major review of the evidence by the independent Committee on Toxicity, which reported on 20 September 2007; (ii) commissioned first functionality tests to identify equipment capable of capturing real time fume events from Cranfield university, which was published on 21 February 2008; (iii) commissioned a data analysis study of fume events and operational parameters; and (iv) is commissioning a second and more substantive phase of real time functionality tests with a number of participating airlines to assemble real time data on substances which may be in cabin air during fume events. This will take place later this year.
The first functionality tests were evaluated though independent peer-review by scientists in UK, Europe and the USA. Future work in this area will be similarly peer-reviewed before publication, and a steering committee has been set up to oversee the next phase of our research in this area.
Biofuels
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research her Department has recently commissioned on the impacts of biofuels. [190936]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In recent years, the Department for Transport (DfT) has commissioned various pieces of biofuel-related research. The principal projects are listed in the following table, and the results are for the most part available via the DfT’s website.
The Department has also part-funded and participated in a number of other biofuel-related research projects, over the same period, including for example a number of projects led by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. Other Government Departments including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform have also commissioned various pieces of research into the impacts of biofuels. Most recently, for example, DEFRA has commissioned a review of work on the environmental sustainability of international biofuels production and use, which is due to report shortly.
The Department for Transport has recently invited the Renewable Fuels Agency to lead a review of the evidence around the impacts of biofuel production, particularly the indirect effects. Initial analysis is due to be available by early summer.
Dartford River Crossing: Concessions
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make all Essex and Kent residents eligible to register for the new Dartford River Crossing discount which is to be offered to residents of Dartford and Thurrock. [189342]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Our proposal which was set out to the House in a written statement on 7 February 2008, Official Report, columns 87-90WS, is that residents of the Dartford and Thurrock local authority areas should be eligible for discounts. We are now consulting on our proposals, and we will make public our conclusions after the consultation exercise has closed.
Departmental Equality
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions her Department has reached in fulfilment of the duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [190762]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport is currently reviewing its progress against the commitments given in its Disability Equality Scheme, as it is required to do under section 3.11 of the statutory code of practice of the Disability Equality Duty. Key progress to date has included consulting on major reform of the Blue Badge scheme and the introduction of concessionary fares on buses from 1 April 2008.
Departmental ICT
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) mobile telephones, (b) personal digital assistants and (c) laptop computers issued to departmental staff were reported (i) lost, (ii) missing and (iii) stolen in each year since 2001. [184341]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Department for Transport was formed in 2002 and includes seven agencies, a shared service centre and the central Department, with a total staff of over 19,000. The figures provided here for lost, missing and stolen devices are for the entire Department including its agencies and shared service centre. The figures provided do not include losses or thefts where records are not available, where equipment
has not been procured centrally, or where such losses or thefts were not reported. There is no distinction in the records between lost and missing devices. The number of those and of stolen mobile devices for each year since the Department's formation in 2002 is as follows.
15 mobile telephones were lost or missing and 5 were stolen,
5 personal data assistants were lost or missing and 2 were stolen,
6 laptop computers were lost or missing and 24 were stolen.
13 mobile telephones were lost or missing and 15 were stolen,
1 personal data assistant was lost or missing and 5 were stolen,
4 laptop computers were lost or missing and 9 were stolen.
6 mobile telephones were lost or missing and 22 were stolen,
no personal data assistants were lost or missing and 1 was stolen,
4 laptop computers were lost or missing and 14 were stolen.
13 mobile telephones were lost or missing and 24 were stolen,
no personal data assistants were lost or missing and 1 was stolen,
1 laptop computer was lost or missing and 23 were stolen.
9 mobile telephones were lost or missing and 20 were stolen,
no personal data assistants were lost or missing and 1 was stolen,
no laptop computers were lost or missing and 13 were stolen.
1 mobile telephone was lost or missing and 2 were stolen,
no personal data assistants were lost or missing and 4 were
stolen,
no laptop computers were lost or missing and 7 were stolen.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of her Department's personal digital assistants have been (a) lost and (b) stolen in each of the last five years; and what the value of those items was. [185269]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport includes seven agencies, a shared service centre and the central Department, with a total staff of over 19,000. The figures provided here for lost, missing and stolen devices are for the entire Department including its agencies and shared service centre. The figures provided do not include losses or thefts where records are not available, where equipment has not been procured centrally, or where such losses or thefts were not reported. All hand held devices including BlackBerries and other palm or pocket PC type devices have been included, with unit values typically from £100 to £350. The number of lost and stolen personal data assistants in each of the last five years is as follows.
5 personal data assistants were lost or missing and 2 were stolen.
The value of these items was £1,644.
1 personal data assistant was lost or missing and 5 were stolen.
The value of these items was £1,724.
no personal data assistants were lost or missing and 1 was stolen.
The value of this item was £300.
Departmental Paternity Leave
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department’s rules on paternity leave refer to the rights of (a) adoptive parents and (b) parents whose child was stillborn after 24 weeks gestation to take such leave. [190929]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department’s paternity rules apply to both adoptive parents and to parents whose child was stillborn after 24 weeks gestation.
Departmental Private Finance Initiative
Bob Spink:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) value and (b) start date was of
each private finance initiative project approved by her Department in each of the last three financial years. [190808]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The capital value and start date for every signed PFI project are recorded centrally on the Treasury website at:
Treasury’s information was last updated in October 2007. Norfolk county council’s street lighting project subsequently reached financial close in November 2007. The following table summarises the relevant information from Treasury’s website with the addition of the Norfolk street lighting project:
| Financial year (1 April to 31 March each year) | Commissioning body | Project name | Date of financial close (mm/yyyy) | Total capital value (£ million) |
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