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25 Nov 2008 : Column 1184W—continued
Departmental Land
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much surplus land (a) his Department and (b) its agencies own; and what the (i) area and (ii) estimated monetary value of each site is. [236427]
Mr. Hoon: The Department for Transport and its Executive agencies currently have 234 surplus land parcels, 229 of which are owned by the Highways Agency and five by the Driving Standards Agency, when last valued these sites had an estimated global value of £13.7 million (net book value). Information on site size is not currently available for the majority of the sites, although the majority are very small with 30 per cent. valued less than £1,000.
This above excludes surplus land held by the British Railways Board (Residuary) (a public corporation) which is in the process of being disposed of.
Departmental Manpower
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of DfT(C)'s staff recorded as being (a) from an ethnic minority and (b) white were given the highest marking in the annual appraisal round in each year since DfT(C)'s formation. [239333]
Mr. Hoon: The central Department recorded the following proportion of staff who received the highest marking in their annual appraisal in each year since formation:
| Percentage | ||
| Ethnic minority | White | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has a formal policy on steps to be taken when a race impact assessment demonstrates that there has been an adverse impact on a racial group arising from a departmental policy. [239334]
Paul Clark:
The Department for Transport acts in accordance with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (formerly the Commission for Racial Equality) guidance for public authorities on carrying out race
impact assessments. In line with the guidance the Department for Transport would decide whether the proposals were relevant to race equality and then take a proportionate response by as necessary:
considering alterations to the policy that would mitigate the adverse impact or eliminate unlawful discrimination while still delivering the policy intention; and
considering alternative policies that might better achieve the promotion of race equality.
Departmental Pay
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what bonuses were paid by his Department in 2007-08; to which members of staff; and for what purposes. [239670]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer of 2 July 2008, Official Report, columns 919-20W.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect publication of the Highway Code has on his Department’s finances. [239329]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Highway Code is self-funding with publication costs met from the income from sales.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Industrial Relations
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis the Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency ordered the confiscation of union material from a union official who was visiting the Shared Service Centre on 11 June 2008; and what happened to the confiscated material. [239466]
Jim Fitzpatrick: On 11 June a trade union official from PCS attended DVLA's Shared Service Centre by invitation to view the premises and gain a better understanding of Shared Service processes. At the conclusion of the meeting he started to distribute leaflets to staff and was asked to stop. DVLA do not allow the distribution of leaflets on DVLA property without permission. Permission was not sought on this occasion. The trade union official subsequently offered to hand the leaflets over to a manager, who disposed of them.
DVLA has no objection to distribution of trade union material when permission is sought and provides notice boards for the display of such information.
Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Data Protection
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance issued to Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency staff for use when approached by third parties for motorists' information. [237823]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) staffs are issued with guidance to enable them to make appropriate decisions as to whether disclosure of information in a particular circumstance
is lawful. However, I have not placed a copy of this guidance in the House Library as it would be a helpful tool for those wishing to access DVLA data unlawfully to circumvent the procedures in place and obtain data inappropriately. I believe the interests of the public are better served by not putting this information into the public domain. However, detailed information on the disclosure of DVLA data is available from
Driving Standards Agency
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Driving Standards Agency has issued more than one copy of the ‘Are You Ready?’ DVD to an individual learner driver since 1 January 2008; for what reasons; and if he will make a statement. [238908]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 24 November 2008]: The Driving Standards Agency estimates that between 1 January 2008 and 20 November 2008, 60,000 learner drivers have received more than one copy of the ‘Are You Ready?’ DVD owing to a technical error.
A further 20,000 customers were sent an additional copy at their request because of the loss of the original, or an undelivered appointment letter.
Heathrow Airport: Railway Network
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish an estimate of the costs of the Airtrack proposal to improve rail links at Heathrow. [237767]
Paul Clark: The Airtrack proposal is being promoted by BAA. Accordingly the estimation and publication of costs is a matter for BAA.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is proposed to meet any costs of funding the Airtrack proposal to improve rail links to Heathrow from public funds. [237768]
Paul Clark: Under the Airtrack train service proposal, links would be provided between existing rail stations as well as new links to Heathrow airport Terminal 5. To the extent that the Airtrack proposal may offer wider benefits to rail passengers a contribution to the scheme from public funds may be appropriate.
Inland Waterways
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential for inland waterways to carry commercial transport. [239564]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In July this year, the Department for Transport published a report identifying the existing inland waterways in Great Britain that may realistically be considered for freight transport either in their current condition or with minor infrastructure improvements. That report, with the accompanying map showing the waterways concerned, is freely available on the Department’s website.
Intercity Express Programme
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons his Department has changed the process by which the Intercity Express Programme is financed; and if he will make a statement. [238551]
Paul Clark: There has been no change to the Department for Transport’s process for funding the Intercity Express Programme. The Department expects the private sector to provide the necessary finance, as set out in the Intercity Express Programme Invitation to Tender.
M3
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates (a) his Department and (b) the Highways Agency have made of the effect on M3 traffic flows of the three proposed new distribution centres at Andover, Pyestock and Newbury. [239178]
Paul Clark: Neither the Department for Transport nor the Highways Agency has estimated the effect on M3 traffic flows of these three proposed new distribution centres.
The impacts of the proposed distribution centres at Andover and Newbury have not been explicitly assessed by the Highways Agency because of their distance from the M3. The application for Pyestock (Hartland Park) is for reuse of an existing site so the net impact has been reviewed by the Highways Agency and is limited to the equivalent legal reuse.
Motor Vehicles: Safety
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of wearing an appropriate restraint on the survival rate of children involved in car accidents. [239539]
Jim Fitzpatrick: A European expert group on child safety, co-sponsored by the Department for Transport, published an analysis of UK casualty data in 2008. This showed that the use of a child restraint, when compared with no restraint, reduced the proportion of moderate child injuries in a frontal impact from approximately 30 per cent. to 10 per cent. and minor injuries from 55 per cent. to 40 per cent.
However, the Department for Transport has made no recent assessment of the effect of wearing an appropriate restraint on the survival rate of children involved in car accidents.
National Business Travel Network
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many businesses have signed up to the National Business Travel Network; how much has been spent on the network since its launch, broken down by different projects; and how much he plans to spend on the network over the next two years. [237616]
Paul Clark: One hundred and twelve businesses have joined the National Business Travel Network since its launch in February 2007.
Planned spend to March 2009 is £750,000. This includes:
| £ | |
We are currently reviewing how best to reduce car journeys generated by business travel to give more options to employees and businesses.
Network Rail: Disabled
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which construction projects Network Rail has completed in fulfilment of its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what has been the cost of each such project. [239227]
Paul Clark: This is an operational matter for Network Rail, who have a duty under part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act to make adjustments to the way their services are provided. This may be done by altering physical features at stations, taking steps to avoid physical obstacle or providing the service by other means.
Network Rail are also constructing obstacle free, accessible routes at priority stations as part of the Government’s Access for All programme. To date, 145 stations have been identified to receive enhancements and work has reached practical completion at 15 sites since March 2006, with a total investment of approximately £29.6 million.
Network Rail: Finance
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is Network Rail’s policy to allocate a budget for each construction project in advance of (a) procurement and (b) commencement of work. [239228]
Paul Clark: This is an operational matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the national rail network and such information would be available from the Network Rail’s Chief Executive at:
Iain Coucher
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG.
Railways: Construction
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2008, Official Report, column 648W, on railways: construction, when the recent work he refers to in his answer was carried out for his Department; [237831]
(2) who carried out the work referred to; and if he will place a copy of this work in the Library. [237832]
Paul Clark: The work referred to in my previous answer on 8 October 2008, Official Report, column 648W, was carried out by Booz Allen Hamilton and Department for Transport officials as part of the policy development leading to the Rail White Paper (July 2007).
Railways: Fares
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received from train operating companies on rail fare increases. [238135]
Paul Clark: The Government have not had representations from the train operating companies regarding rail fares increases, beyond their required statement of compliance in respect of regulated fares.
Unregulated fares are solely a matter for train operators, but increases are kept under review by Government.
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