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11 Mar 2008 : Column 208W—continued
Winter Fuel Payments: Hampshire
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who were eligible for winter fuel payments in each local authority area in Hampshire did not claim payments in each of the last five years for which information is available. [190036]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The vast majority of winter fuel payments are made automatically without the need to claim, based on information held in DWP records. A small number of people whose circumstances we do not know, for instance because they are not on State Pension or other benefits administered by DWP, need to make a claim so that their eligibility can be assessed. It is therefore not possible to say how many people may be eligible for a winter fuel payment and are not receiving it. We can only assess eligibility for those people who are in contact with the Department and whose circumstances are known to us.
The following table shows the number of winter fuel payments made in each local authority area in Hampshire over each of the last five years. Figures for winter 2007-08 are not yet available but we expect the number to be similar to that for winter 2006-07.
| P ayments made | |||||
| Hampshire local authority area | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. Source: Information directorate 100 per cent. data. | |||||
Transport
Air Traffic Control
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research her Department has conducted into technologies to (a) allow air traffic controllers to take control of aircraft and land them remotely and (b) provide computerised safeguards against aircraft crashes. [192512]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for aviation safety within the UK. It has not carried out any research on computerised safeguards designed to prevent aircraft crashes. It has however carried out research to evaluate a range of technologies that might address particular risks, such as runway incursions or fire in the cabin.
The Department does not comment on whether or not it is considering technologies with aviation security applications.
Aviation: Sustainable Development
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times she, her Ministers or her officials have met representatives of (a) Friends of the Earth, (b) Greenpeace, (c) the World Wildlife Fund, (d) AirportWatch, (e) the Aviation Environment Federation, (f) HACAN Clearskies, (g) Stop Stansted Expansion, (h) Plane Stupid, (i) the Council for the Protection of Rural England, (j) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, (k) the Woodland Trust and (l) Enoughsenough to discuss the sustainable growth of aviation in the UK since September 2007. [185816]
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her officials have met representatives of (i) Friends of the Earth, (ii) Greenpeace, (iii) WWF-UK, (iv) Airportwatch, (v) Stop Stansted Expansion, (vi) Plane Stupid, (vii) the Aviation Environment Federation, (viii) Enough's Enough, (ix) Hacan Clearskies, (x) the Campaign to Protect Rural England, (xi) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and (xii) the
Woodland Trust to discuss issues related to the sustainable growth of aviation in the UK in the last six months; and how often such meetings have taken place. [185806]
Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State met a number of representatives of environmental groups, including many of these organisations, on 10 September 2007. In addition I had a meeting with a range of environmental groups, including many of these and others on 21 November in connection with the Department's consultation on adding capacity at Heathrow.
Officials meet representatives of environmental groups regularly, for example in meetings of the External Advisory Group on the Air Transport White Paper, or on an ad hoc basis to discuss specific issues.
Cycling: Accidents
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions have been drawn from her Department’s study of cycle safety. [189430]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department is currently developing a new research project looking at a range of road safety and cycling issues. The Department intends to commission this research shortly and the final report will be in 2011; there will also be an interim report in 2009.
Departmental Eurostar
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department and its agencies spent on (a) first and (b) other class travel by Eurostar in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [187742]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Travel arrangements in the Department for Transport and its agencies are made in the most efficient and cost-effective way, and all official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in staff handbooks.
The Department for Transport (central) does not record travel costs differentiated by class of travel. The total amount spent on Eurostar tickets in 2007 was £1,390,440.
One of the Department’s agencies spent £1,485.05 on Eurostar first-class tickets, and £630 on other classes, and one agency records no Eurostar expenditure in the same period.
The Department’s other five agencies cannot separate Eurostar from other rail or general travel costs and could provide the information only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Pay
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by Senior Civil Service staff in her Department and its agencies in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [187546]
Jim Fitzpatrick: DfT(C) and three of its agencies do not record expenses payments differentiated by grade. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The four agencies which do record senior civil servants expenses separately from those of other staff spent £267,364 in calendar year 2007, on a total of 45 staff.
Departmental Plants
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years. [192062]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of her Department’s overall expenditure was spent on officials’ travel costs in each year for which figures are available. [187574]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Travel arrangements in the Department for Transport and its agencies are made in the most efficient and cost-effective way, and all official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in staff handbooks.
The Department and six of its agencies (DSA, DVLA, GCDA, HA, MCA and VGA) spent 2.2 per cent. of overall administration and running costs expenditure on travel in financial year 2003-04, 2.3 per cent. in 2004-05, 2.2 per cent. in 2005-06, and 2.2 per cent. in 2006-07.
The remaining agency, VOSA, does not hold the information as requested, and could provide it only at disproportionate cost.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Databases
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who has access to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database. [179889]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport takes the issues of privacy and data security extremely seriously, and keeps its policies on data sharing under active review.
Direct access to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) registers is available only to security cleared DVLA staff who have a business need to access that data, and Fujitsu database administrators. Depending on the business need, staff are able to view or amend records to maintain DVLA's registers.
A full download of both the driver and vehicle registers is provided daily to the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) for inclusion on the Police National Computer (PNC).
DVLA is rolling out its Driver Validation Service (DVS) to the police to provide instant access to drivers' information through the desktop. DVS provides an interface between the Police National Computer and the drivers' register which only allows authenticated users to submit enquiries on drivers' records via the
Government Secure Internet. To date 12 forces in England and Wales, and all nine forces in Scotland have live access to this service.
In addition, North Wales police are piloting a new system which provides DVS through handheld devices, facilitating access to drivers' details, including photograph and signature, at the roadside. This will allow for immediate identification and help the police to enforce against unlicensed and disqualified drivers while negating the need for motorists to produce their driving licence at a police station.
DVLA shares driver data with other public bodies on a case by case basis on receipt of individual applications. The government bodies that have previously requested information include:
Department for Work and Pensions;
Home Office;
Ministry of Justice;
HM Revenue and Customs;
Ministry of Defence;
Local authorities/councils;
Driver licensing authorities/operator licensing authorities in other EU/Crown dependant/overseas territories who are members of the European Car and Driving Licence Information System (EUCARIS).
The reason for disclosure will vary from Department to Department.
Driver data may also be disclosed to the following types of commercial companies with the consent of the individual motorist:
Car hire companies;
Insurance companies, or their intermediaries;
Those employing drivers, or their intermediaries;
Motability.
In addition to the Government Departments listed above, DVLA may also disclose vehicle data to local authorities investigating an offence or a decriminalised parking contravention, customs officers, or those individuals or public and private bodies that can demonstrate ‘reasonable cause’ to need such data. The types of organisations that have previously been able to demonstrate ‘reasonable cause’ are available at:
What constitutes ‘reasonable cause’ will vary from case to case. Decisions on whether to release data take account of the reasons provided for the request and the supporting evidence. Information provided in return is only that which is relevant and proportional to the inquiry. No organisation has unfettered access.
Five commercial companies are provided with a bulk download of the vehicle data, excluding vehicle keeper data, to provide vehicle checking services. This information is updated periodically and matched with police and insurance industry data so that those considering purchasing a vehicle may confirm that the vehicle is as presented and is not stolen, scrapped or seriously damaged.
Finally, I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is
looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments' procedures will be made on completion of the review. An interim progress report on the review was published on 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 98WS, by the Cabinet Office through a written ministerial statement. I also refer the hon. Member to the statement of 17 December 2007, Official Report, columns 624-26, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on measures to improve the security of personal data.
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