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15 Dec 2008 : Column 383W—continued
Departmental Official Hospitality
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on Ministerial hospitality in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08, expressed in current prices. [241226]
Mr. Hoon: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with the principles set out in “Managing Public Money”.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 27 October 2008, Official Report, column 604W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year. [242314]
Mr. Hoon: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Training
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Professional Skills for Government Competency Framework will be rolled out to all grades below the senior civil service across the whole of his Department. [241984]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 9 December 2008]: The Department for Transport competency framework for employees in pay bands 1-7 has already been developed following wide consultation with colleagues and representative groups from across the Department, including the agencies.
The core framework have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Driving Offences: Insurance
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Continuous Insurance Enforcement scheme will come into force. [241648]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 9 December 2008]: We intend to consult on the detailed implementation of the scheme early in the new year and then lay implementing regulations during the course of 2009-10. Full delivery of the scheme is planned to commence in 2010-11.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to ensure that cars are driven only by drivers whose names are included on the vehicle's insurance certificate. [241654]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 9 December 2008]: No such steps are being taken. A vehicle may be legally driven by any driver whose policy has a clause that allows that driver to drive any other vehicle with the owner's permission (commonly referred to as DOV cover) on a third-party liability basis.
Driving Tests
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what population density figure was used to calculate the distance to the nearest acceptable alternative driving test centre, with reference to each driving test centre which (a) has had its closure announced and (b) was considered for closure in the last 24 months; and what geographical or constituency boundary was used to calculate the population density in each case. [240285]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has population density criteria travel distance contained in its ‘Code of Practice on Written Consultations—Driving Test Centres’, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. These criteria are applied in considering each test centre closure. They are:
| Indicator | Population density | Distance criteria |
The population densities applied are for district or unitary authorities. The population density data are from 2004 supplied by the Office of National Statistics and mapped to cover the 1998 structure of local authorities.
Tables have been placed in the Libraries of the House listing practical test centres relocated or closed by DSA over the past 24 months and those which DSA has announced will be relocating or closing, showing the population density indicator used in the consideration of the closure.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving tests were taken, and how many new drivers passed their driving test, in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Stockport metropolitan borough council area and (d) Cheadle constituency in each year since 1997. [241649]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 9 December 2008]: The Information placed in the Libraries of the House includes tests conducted by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and by non-DSA driving examiners. DSA does not have a test centre in the Cheadle constituency. No motorcycle tests are conducted in the Stockport metropolitan borough council area.
Driving Tests: Motorcycles
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason his Department implemented EU Directive 2000/56/EC to provide that the emergency stop manoeuvre in motor cycle tests must be taken at 31.7mph instead of 30mph; and if he will make a statement. [241570]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 9 December 2008]: It has been the policy of successive UK Governments to implement EU directives. EU directive 2000/56/EC set extra and more demanding special exercises that must be included in every practical motorcycling test, including:
at least two manoeuvres executed at slow speed, including a slalom.
at least two manoeuvres executed at higher speed, of which one manoeuvre should be in second or third gear, at a speed of at least 30 kph, and one manoeuvre avoiding an obstacle at a minimum speed of 50 kph.
at least two braking exercises, including an emergency brake at a minimum speed of 50 kph.
These new EU standards necessitated significant changes to the practical motorcycling test undertaken in GB. During public consultation there were overwhelming road safety objections to conducting the higher-speed emergency braking exercise in an environment where there may be pedestrians or other traffic. The case for secure off-road testing areas was conclusive.
The new multi purpose test centres (MPTCs) are based on an updated test centre design that provides modern facilities for local people. MPTCs are attractive buildings which fit comfortably into the local environment. They are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and also support the Government's wider sustainability agenda.
MPTCs are purpose designed to deliver modern driving test for learner car drivers and motorcyclists and, where possible, they will also be used for the delivery of other types of driving test.
Driving: Licensing
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) for what reason plastic and paper combination driving licences were given an expiry date different to that of other forms of driving licences; [242652]
(2) what notification drivers are given when their plastic and paper combination driving licences are due to expire; [242653]
(3) what penalty will be applied to drivers who continue to drive without renewing their plastic and paper combination driving licence. [242654]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 11 December 2008]: A photocard and paper counterpart driving licence is valid for 10 years from the date of issue. This is to ensure that the photographon the photocard remains a current likeness of the driver.
The photocard licence holder will be sent a renewal reminder two months in advance of the date of expiry.
Drivers who fail to renew their photocard licence are liable for prosecution resulting in a fine up to £1,000.
East London Line
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Mayor of London on the funding of the phase 2 extension of the East London Line. [243194]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State and Mayor of London meet regularly to discuss the delivery of transport services in London. In addition, Department for Transport officials have held a number of discussions with Transport for London (TfL) regarding East London line Phase 2b. The Department has committed to provide support for more than 50 per cent. of the capital costs of the project. It is now for the Mayor to decide upon the priority he accords to the scheme compared to other transport schemes in London.
Discussions continue with TfL.
External Consultants
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what payments the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has made to external consultants in each of the last five years (a) in total and (b) broken down by payments to (i) management consultancies, (ii) public affairs consultancies, (iii) public relations consultancies, (iv) advertising agencies and (v) other organisations; [241553]
(2) what payments his Department has made to external consultancies in each of the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies; [241916]
(3) what payments the Driving Standards Agency has made to external consultancies in each of the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies; [241917]
(4) what payments the Vehicle Certification Agency has made to external consultancies in each of the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies; [241918]
(5) what payments the Highways Agency has made to external consultancies in each of the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies; [241919]
(6) what payments the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made to external consultancies in each of the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies; [241920]
(7) what payments the Government Car and Despatch Agency has made to external consultancies in each of the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies; [241921]
(8) what payments the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency has made to external consultancies in each of
the last five years, broken down by payments to (a) management consultancies, (b) public affairs consultancies, (c) public relations consultancies, (d) advertising agencies and (e) other consultancies. [241922]
Mr. Hoon: Total expenditure by the central Department and its agencies on consultants in each of the last five financial years is shown in the following table.
| £ million | |||||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
|
Government Car and Despatch Agency (joined DfT from 2005-06) | |||||
Expenditure figures from 2005-06 exclude Central Department and Highways Agency spend on technical transport related consultancy. Expenditure by the Highways Agency on engineering consultancy is scored as outsourced procurement of specialist services.
Lists have been placed in the Libraries of the House which show the supplier and (where possible) the value and the nature of the consultancy work recorded within the Department and its Agencies accounting systems as consultancy during the four financial years between 2004-05 and 2007-08. Similar data for 2003-04 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Business Units within the Department currently use separate accounting systems which record expenditure differently. The totals include a mixture of committed spend (i.e. orders raised) and actual spend incurred. The Professional Services Forum definition of consultancy has been applied since 2005-06 resulting in more accurate coding of expenditure.
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