Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 13 May 2008
Leader of the House
Departmental Opinion Polls
Mrs. May: To ask the Leader of the House what polling companies held contracts with her Office in 2007-08; and what (a) surveys, (b) questionnaires and (c) other services each provided. [204691]
Members: Allowances
Mr. Allen: To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members used the allowance for European travel (a) once, (b) twice and (b) three times in 2007-08. [204594]
Helen Goodman: During financial year 2007-08, 153 hon. Members claimed for European travel: 107 for one return journey, 36 for two and 10 for three.
Solicitor-General
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006: Prosecutions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions have been brought under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 since the law was implemented. [205334]
The Solicitor-General: The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 came into force on 1 October 2007 and to date there have been no prosecutions under the legislation.
Transport
A14: Repairs and Maintenance
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on (a) maintenance on and (b) improvements to the A14 in each year since 1997; and what the equivalent projected expenditure for (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011, (iv) 2012 and (v) 2013 is. [204020]
Mr. Tom Harris: The information requested cannot easily be provided for the whole A14 other than at a disproportionate cost.
A14: Road Traffic
Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the volume of traffic between each pair of adjacent junctions on the
A14 in each year since 1997; and what projections have been made for (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013. [204021]
Mr. Tom Harris: Predictive data for the A14 are not held in the format requested.
Bus Services: Concessions
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2008, Official Report, column 33W, on public transport: concessions, what account was taken of representations relating to those affected by mental health disabilities in determining the eligibility criteria for concessionary bus travel under the Transport Act 2000. [204017]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department receives a large number of representations from interest groups during the development of any policy, and due regard is given to each before proposals are finalised. The eligibility criteria contained in the Transport Act 2000 was subject to debate during the passage of that Bill. Also, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) was consulted on Government amendments which, among other things, clarified the various categories of disability included on the face of the Bill.
Departmental Domestic Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions she visited (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [204388]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In the last 12 months, Ministers in this Department have visited Scotland on seven occasions and Wales twice in their official capacities. No visits have been made to Northern Ireland during this period. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the “Ministerial Code”.
Departmental Orders and Regulations
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many statutory instruments have been (a) made and (b) revoked by Ministers in her Department and its predecessors since 1997. [204763]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In the period from the creation of the Department for Transport in May 2002 until 31 March 2008 approximately 834 general statutory instruments and 9,512 local statutory instruments were made in the name of the Secretary of State for Transport.
The number of statutory instruments made by Ministers of predecessor Departments, and of statutory instruments revoked, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions she has visited Essex in the last 12 months. [204975]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In the last 12 months, Ministers in this Department have visited Essex on three occasions in their official capacities. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the “Ministerial Code”.
Fuels
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government has taken to encourage motorists to use greener fuels since 1997. [204547]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The main way that the Government have encouraged the use of alternative fuels since 1997 is through differentials in fuel duty between petrol and diesel and other fuels. There are also incentives through reduced rates of Vehicle Excise Duty for cars that run on certain alternative fuels and registered after 1 March 2001. Vehicles powered wholly by electric power are exempt from VED.
The Government fund the running of an Infrastructure grant programme. The grants assist the building of refuelling stations for alternative fuels (natural gas/biogas, hydrogen and bio-ethanol). It is also funding research and development into battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles through a Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform, which brings together funding from the Department for Transport, Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Previously low carbon vehicle research and development funding was provided through the Energy Saving Trust.
The Government have also introduced the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The RTFO, which came into effect from 15 April 2008 aims to ensure that sustainable biofuels make up an increasing percentage of total UK road transport fuels, and means that biofuels are starting to become available in low blends at the majority of forecourts in the UK.
The Government previously provided grants through the Powershift and Clean Up programmes to encourage the purchase of low carbon vehicles. However it was clear that the funding levels available would not bring about the required market transformation so the funds were diverted to other environmental transport initiatives.
London Airports
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times her Department hired VIP facilities at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Luton and (d) Stansted airports in each month since May 2006; and what the expenditure on VIP facilities at each was in each of those months. [205147]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Since May 2006, the Department for Transport has hired VIP facilities at the aforementioned airports on one occasion. This occurred at Heathrow in July 2006 where the Department met a delegation of senior officials and a Transport Minister from outside the UK. The cost of hiring the facilities was £269.62.
M69: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the roadworks taking place on the M69 to be completed and all carriageways re-opened to traffic. [204743]
Mr. Tom Harris: The resurfacing work on the M69 is due to be completed and all carriageways re-opened by the end of the second week in May.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the roadworks taking place on the M69 were carried out concurrently to the roadworks taking place on the M1 motorway near junction 26; and if she will make a statement. [204744]
Mr. Tom Harris: The work currently being undertaken on the M1 near Junction 26 is part of an ongoing major widening scheme; the M69 work is a shorter scale resurfacing scheme. To minimise disruption to road users, the Highways Agency’s policy is to ensure, where possible, that concurrent roadworks are not carried out within 10 km of each other. The M1 and M69 schemes comply with that policy, being more than 50 kms apart.
Roads: Accidents
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2008, Official Report, columns 1066-7W, on roads: accidents, how many (a) men and (b) women were killed in car accidents in East Lancashire where at least one driver involved was aged 21 or under and (i) male and (ii) female in each year since 2000. [205544]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of (a) male and (b) female car occupant fatalities in reported road accidents where the driver was (i) male and (ii) female and aged 21 years or under in East Lancashire in 2000 to 2006 are shown in the table.
| Number of fatalities | ||||
| 0-21 year old male car driver | 0-21 year old female car driver | |||
| Male fatality | Female fatality | Male fatality | Female fatality | |
| Note: East Lancashire = Hyndburn, Pendle, Burnley, Rossendale, Ribble Valley and Blackburn with Darwen. | ||||
Shipping: Fees and Charges
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government’s policy is on the proposal from Norway and Denmark for a charge and fund scheme for international shipping. [204969]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I assume the hon. Member is referring to the proposal from Denmark for a global levy on marine bunker fuel. The Government support the aims and intentions behind the proposal.
The Government are clear that, as shipping volumes continue to grow, the industry must take its share of responsibility for tackling the problem of climate change. We also believe it is vital to investigate all options for reducing emissions from international shipping, including improved technology, better operator practices and market-based measures.
The Government therefore welcome the opportunity to debate the proposal at the forthcoming International Maritime Organization Marine Environment Protection Committee working group on greenhouse gas emissions in Oslo in June, together with the wide range of other ideas on the table.
Trains
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the 1,300 extra railway carriages referred to in the high-level output statement published in 2007 have been (a) ordered from manufacturers, (b) delivered and (c) brought into use. [204480]
Mr. Tom Harris: There have been 317 vehicles ordered from manufacturers. The first of these units is due for delivery in October 2008.
Transport Appraisal
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on the methodology integral to the New Approach to Transport Appraisal. [205160]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 12 May 2008]: The Government have recently consulted on a number of matters relating to the New Approach To Appraisal with the document ‘The NATA Refresh: Reviewing the New Approach to Appraisal’. The consultation period closed on 31 March 2008 and officials are now reviewing the 101 responses received ahead of the Department’s response.
West Coast Railway Line
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she expects the West Coast Main Line timetable due to be implemented in December 2008 to be implemented on time. [205335]
Mr. Tom Harris: The current expectation of Network Rail is that the modernisation will be completed in December as scheduled. The Office of Rail Regulation has undertaken a review of the delivery plan of Network Rail and found it to be robust.
Some issues remain to be resolved between Network Rail and passenger and freight train operators in relation to the timings and detail of the possessions needed for the works to take place.
Wales
Departmental Equality
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department met the Civil Service diversity targets set out on page 51 of Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007 by April 2008. [204708]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The latest published statistics against overall civil service targets were at October 2007, and are available on the civil service website at:
The final measurement against the targets will be published in autumn 2008.
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