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13 Jun 2008 : Column 536W—continued
Although 54dBA Leq aircraft noise contours are sometimes produced as a sensitivity analysis, aircraft modelling below such levels is generally considered to be unlikely to generate accurate and reliable results. However we do intend—under the auspices of the Department's Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee—to review the issues and practical difficulties of noise monitoring at lower levels.
Aviation: Disabled
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken at EU level to phase out aircraft which do not meet disability access standards on routes operated wholly within the EU. [208247]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no plans to phase out aircraft which do not meet disability access standards.
A new EC Regulation gives rights to disabled passengers travelling by air. The Department for Transport is currently consulting on its revised Code of Practice ‘Access to air travel for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility’ which provides guidance to the aviation industry on how to comply with its obligations under the Regulation. Although not covered by the Regulation, this guidance also includes material on accessible aircraft design.
We aim to publish this Code when the EC Regulation comes fully into force from 26 July 2008.
Bus Services: Concessions
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government is taking to encourage and enable local authorities to offer flexible alternatives to the national concessionary bus pass. [208893]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government are responsible for the statutory minimum off-peak bus travel concession that all Travel Concession Authorities (TCAs) are required to provide. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 preserves the flexibility of TCAs to enhance their schemes locally at their own expense. For example, TCAs may choose to offer their residents vouchers or tokens for local use in taxis, give concessionary bus travel beyond the statutory times, or extend concessionary travel to other modes. Any decision to offer these discretionary elements is a matter for individual TCAs.
Cars: Exhaust Emissions
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2008, to the hon. Member for East Yorkshire, Official Report, column 1894W, on cars: research, how much expenditure her Department has incurred in testing vehicle emissions for the purposes of national emissions inventory modelling in the last three years; and by whom such testing has been conducted. [209252]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Expenditure by the Department on emission factor testing and analysis for the purpose of the national atmospheric emissions inventory model in the last three financial years (2005-6, 2006-7 and 2007-8) amounted to some £279,860. This work was carried out by Shell Global Solutions (UK), Tickford Powertrain Test Limited and AEA Technology PLC. Copies of the resulting reports may be found on the Department's website at
or by navigating from the Department's home page (www.dft.gov.uk) to DfT home > Policy, guidance and research > Roads and vehicles > Environmental issues > Research > Cleaner and Quieter Vehicles and Cleaner Fuels.
A small amount of emissions factor testing work has also been carried out in the course of the Department's annual enforcement programme of checks on manufacturers' production.
In addition, some £110,000 of expenditure was incurred on research into improved methodologies for emissions modelling.
This was undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory.
Cars: Hampshire
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars in (a) Southampton and (b) Hampshire have been registered in bands F and G since (i) 1 March 2001 and (ii) 23 March 2006. [211400]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of licensed cars registered in Southampton and Hampshire at the end of 2007 with carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to the present Band F (186 to 225 g/km) and Band G (over 225 g/km) were as follows:
| 186 to 225 g/km | Over 225 g/km | |
Cars with carbon dioxide emissions greater than 225 g/km are taxed in Band F if they were first registered between 1 March 2001 and 23 March 2006.
Departmental Data Protection
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2008, Official Report, column 7W, on departmental data protection, what the appropriate level of vetting is for individuals contracted by her Department to supply specialist data and IT audit resources. [209280]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
All staff, consultants and contractors must complete, prior to taking up their posts, the HMG baseline standard checks to positively establish identity and obtain background information on the subject by taking up references. The checks are regarded as providing sufficient assurance as to reliability and integrity for an individual to have access to UK material marked Restricted and Confidential, and occasional access to Secret material. Satisfactory completion of the baseline standard procedures is also required before an individual is issued with a
permanent pass for departmental buildings and before an individual is given access to any of the Department's IT systems.
In addition to the baseline standard, individuals who require access to the Department's sensitive IT systems or processes, including for IT audit purposes, may in some circumstances require Security Check (SC) clearance. Any such requirements for SC clearance, for IT audit or any other purposes are determined on a case by case basis.
Departmental Internet
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pages have been deleted from her Department’s website in each of the last 12 months, broken down by subject matter. [209032]
Jim Fitzpatrick: For the period 1 June 2007 to 31 May 2008, the Department removed 537 web pages from its website. Typical page removals include expiry of advertised job vacancies; replacement pages with up-to-date versions of the content; and removal of guidance and content perceived to be out-of-date.
The following table breaks down content removed by subject matter.
| Subject area | Number of pages deleted |
Departmental Public Participation
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008, Official Report, column 1393W, on transport: policy, what research documents and consultation on the effects of her Department's policies on different groups in society her Department has sponsored; which of these were conducted by (a) her Department and (b) external organisations; and what fees her Department paid in respect of each such project in each year since 1998. [209255]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested, which is readily available from 2007, is listed in the following table. Further information dating back to 1998 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Visits Abroad
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys have been made to (a) Paris, (b) Lille and (c) Brussels on official business by staff in her Department in the last three years. [209257]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport (central) and five of its agencies do not record details of journeys by destination, and could provide the information only at disproportionate cost.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency recorded 0 journeys to Paris, two to Lille and seven to Brussels over the last three years. The vehicle Certification Agency recorded seven journeys to Paris, two to Lille, and 13 to Brussels in 2007-08, but could provide information for earlier years only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Vocational Training
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what proportion of its staff her Department has provided vocational training in the last three years. [209430]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The proportion of Department for Transport staff who have been provided with vocational training in the last three years is as
| Staff receiving training | Total staff | Proportion (percentage) | |
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