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10 Sep 2008 : Column 1998W—continued
Mr. Iain Wright:
Average water consumption levels, which provide the basis for the two efficiency levels, were developed from a series of studies by Government, the Environment Agency and Industry which indicated
a current UK average water consumption of 153 litres per person per day. The three levels set in the code of 120, 105 and 80 litres per person per day were developed after various scenarios were tested by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to illustrate the levels which should be achievable using various different combinations of technologies and approaches. The calculation for the scenarios is based upon usage assumptions within the Code Water Calculator, developed by the Water Research Council (WRC). The exemplary Code level 5/6 standard is demanding and requires significant change to specifications of fixtures and fittings.
The basis for the establishment of the 125 litres per person per day standard was the consultation undertaken by the Government in 2007 on water efficiency in new dwellings. Respondents strongly supported the introduction of a whole building performance standard within Building Regulations, which would allow flexibility in the choice of appliances, while still reducing water consumption. The 125 litres standard, which will be introduced through an amendment to Part G of the building regulation (Water Efficiency) in 2009, is in line with the Code Level 1/2 (120 litres per head per day) and uses a simplified version of the Code Water Calculator but includes a small allowance (five litres) for external water use.
Building to the Code for Sustainable Homes is not mandatory and the Government have made no assessment of the likely water efficiency levels of homes in 2021 as a result of its use. All new homes will need to meet the Part G water efficiency standard following its coming into force in 2009, subject to the relevant transitional arrangements.
Transport
Airports
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will meet representatives of airline operators to discuss the likely effects of airport ownership by airline operators. [223115]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State meets regularly with aviation industry representatives to discuss a range of issues.
The Competition Commission is currently undertaking an independent inquiry into the provision of airport services by BAA in the UK. This inquiry, due to conclude no later than March 2009, will consider airport ownership among other issues. The Secretary of State and I look forward to seeing its final conclusions in due course.
Airports: Luggage
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which UK airports restrict passengers to one item of carry-on baggage; [218844]
(2) which UK airports will not scan more than one item of carry-on baggage per passenger. [218845]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In November 2007, the Secretary of State announced that the Department for Transport would consider lifting the one-bag restriction from 7 January 2008 at UK airports where they were able to demonstrate to our satisfaction their ability to maintain security standards in the absence of the Government imposed restriction.
At present there are only two airports—Luton and Liverpool John Lennon—where the Department has to date been unable to grant permission to lift the restriction. Officials are working closely with those airports with a view to being in a position to lift the restriction soon. Where the restriction has been lifted airports and their airlines may however continue to apply their own commercial policies on the number of bags that may be permitted.
Aviation: Flight Cancellation
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many flight cancellations there have been by airlines in respect of departures from UK airports in the last 12 months, broken down by (a) airline and (b) airport of departure; and what percentage of all such flights these figures represent; [223132]
(2) how many flight cancellations by each airline there were at each airport in Scotland between 1 January and 30 June 2008. [223133]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department does not hold this information.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints her Department has received regarding non-compliance with regulations on compensation to passengers for delayed or cancelled flights since 17 February 2005. [223136]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) has been designated as the complaints handling body for the UK under EC regulation 261/2004 on compensation and assistance to air passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or long delays (EC 261/2004).
From 17 February 2005 until 31 August 2008, the AUC dealt with 11,920 written complaints and 7,508 phone inquiries in relation to this regulation. A written complaint or phone inquiry does not necessarily mean that the regulation has not been complied with.
Further details of AUC's activity in this area is in their annual reports, available through the following website:
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=306 &pagetype=90&pageid=917.
Aviation: Data Protection
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements her Department has put in place to monitor the purposes to which end users apply data provided by the UK on airline passengers travelling to the US. [220193]
Mr. Wills: I have been asked to reply.
In accordance with paragraph 4 of the agreement between the European Union and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of passenger name record (PNR) data by air carriers to the United States Department for Homeland Security (DHS), the Department for Homeland Security and the EU will periodically review the implementation of the agreement with a view to mutually assuring the effective operation and privacy protection of their systems.
Bus Services: Fares
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will meet bus operators’ representatives to discuss return fare ticketing. [223114]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Since deregulation of the bus industry in the 1980s, the majority of services outside London are provided on a commercial basis by private operators. As such, decisions such as the ticketing options available to passengers and the level of fares charged are mainly a matter for the commercial judgment of the operator concerned.
Cycling: Accidents
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) non-seriously injured while riding a bicycle in each of the last five years. [223155]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of child pedal cyclist (aged 0-15) casualties reported in personal injury road accidents in Great Britain between 2003 and 2007 are given in the table:
| Number of child pedal cyclist (aged 0-15) casualties: 2003-07 | |||||
| Number of casualties | |||||
| Severity of casualty | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
Cycling: Safety Measures
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to promote the wearing of helmets by children whilst cycling; and if she will make a statement. [223156]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Our road safety communications aimed at adults and children are taken forward through the THINK! road safety campaign. Our approach is informed by research evidence and casualty statistics, which have led us to focus the majority of our communications activity aimed at children on pedestrian safety.
This has been delivered primarily through our “Hedgehogs” campaign (see—www.hedgehogs.gov.uk) and “Arrive Alive” (a Highway Code for young road users).
Our most recent cycling helmet promotion has been with the music channel MTV where we launched an innovative “Ad Idol” competition focusing specifically on road safety. Here, we ran a competition to engage teenagers giving them the opportunity to create road safety adverts. The winning advert was aired on MTV channels to help build wider awareness of cycling safety.
Currently we are developing a series of on-line films for a site called Videojug to provide best practice advice for parents on how to keep their children safe on the road, including a film about safety safe cycling which
advises the wearing of cycling helmets. These films are due to appear in September and October 2008.
We shall continue to review our approaches going forward. Our aim is to continue to innovate and engage with children.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will support the Helmet Watch Initiative. [223157]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We are happy to support initiatives such as Helmet Watch which aim to increase cycle helmet wearing by children. I wrote to Angela Lee, Chief Executive of the Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust, on 12 August, to advise her accordingly.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on children wearing helmets when cycling to school; and if she will make a statement. [223158]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State for Transport discussed a number of child road safety matters with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families late last year, but not specifically wearing helmets while cycling to school.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress her Department has made in its review of the wearing of cycle helmets by children; and if she will make a statement. [223159]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has developed a new research project looking at a range of road safety and cycling issues. This will examine the following topics:
Road user safety and cycling data
Cycling infrastructure
Attitudes and behaviours
Bicycle helmets
The project has been commissioned from a consortium led by TRL.
The contract began on 21 August 2008 and will run for 24 months. Interim reports are due in March 2009 and the Department expects to publish the final reports in autumn 2010.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether cyclists are required by her Department to have a bell or audible warning on their bicycles. [223347]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Bells are currently required to be fitted at the point of sale of a bicycle, but there is no legal obligation to retain the bell when the cycle is in use. However, Rule 66 of the Highway Code recommends the fitting and use of cycle bells.
DVLA: Databases
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedure is undertaken by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to record each document received when multiple documents are received in a single envelope. [223273]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There is no single procedure that can be applied to all the variations of the contents of envelopes that DVLA receives. The common thread through all is that the letter, application or supporting document is sent to the right person to deal with it as quickly as possible. There are also stringent procedures in place to ensure that sensitive identity documents are returned securely to the applicant.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the proportion of records on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's road vehicle database which were accurate in each of the last five years. [223309]
Jim Fitzpatrick: DVLA records have been calculated as having the following levels of accuracy in the last five years:
| Percentage | |
The improving accuracy of the database is the result of DVLA continuing to improve its systems and make them easier for the public to use, while also tackling non-compliance.
DVLA: Personal Records
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances have been reported of customers' paperwork being lost by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in each of the last five years; and how many complaints have been made to the DVLA about fines being imposed following such losses. [223274]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not held in the form requested for the entire period. However, following the introduction of an improved complaints monitoring database, it is possible to provide the number of complaints received regarding fines being imposed as a result of the alleged loss/non-receipt of customer paperwork for the period July 2007 to September 2008. During this period a total of 820 complaints were received concerning customers paperwork, of which 568 resulted in a fine being imposed. This number of cases represents 0.0015 per cent. of the total paperwork handled by the DVLA during the period. The DVLA continues to investigate ways of improving the service it provides to its customers.
East London Line
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on the completion of Phase 2 of the East London Line extension. [223416]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Mayor of London. Recent discussions have included an undertaking that any genuine savings
to the Department that were generated by the East London Line extension would be made available to Transport for London (TfL) to offset its costs. It is now for the Mayor and TfL to decide whether the scheme is a sufficient priority to proceed.
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