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12 Jan 2009 : Column 393W—continued
Departmental Telephone Services
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services. [246983]
Mr. Hoon: The Department for Transport has one 0845 number, the Executive Agencies have three.
Driving: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residents of (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Bexley had driving licences suspended in each of the last three years. [245459]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not readily hold this information in the requested format.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new (a) provisional and (b) full driving licences were issued to residents of (i) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (ii) the London Borough of Bexley in each of the last three years. [245460]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not readily hold this information in the requested format.
First Great Western: Manpower
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals there are to change staffing levels at stations operated by First Great Western on the line from London to Swindon and Bristol Parkway; and if he will make a statement. [246395]
Paul Clark: The Secretary of State has not been informed of any proposals to change staffing levels at stations operated by First Great Western between London and Bristol Parkway.
Gatwick Airport
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the 1979 agreement between BAA and West Sussex County Council would continue to bind any new owner of Gatwick Airport and prevent them from building a new runway before 2019. [246411]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government take the view that the 1979 agreement binds British Aviation Authority (BAA) and would bind any new owner of the airport. If any new owner of the airport wished to overturn the agreement, the first step for it would be to approach West Sussex county council and seek their agreement. In the absence of agreement, it would be possible for the new owner to ask the Lands Tribunal to overturn the agreement.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has taken part in discussions with BAA on proposals to build a second runway at Gatwick Airport once the Gatwick Agreement runs out in 2019. [246412]
Jim Fitzpatrick: No such discussions have taken place.
Heathrow Airport
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people attended the air quality technical meeting on 28 September 2007 regarding the project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow; which organisations those individuals were representing; and if he will make a statement. [246774]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The air quality technical group, which met for the last time on 28 September 2007, comprised representatives from consultants CERC, AEA Technology and Atkins along with representatives from British Aviation Authority (BAA) and officials from the Department for Transport.
Helicopters: Greater London
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many private helicopter movements there were in the air space above Greater London in each year since 1997. [246825]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport does not hold such information on private helicopter movements. However in response to the London Assembly Environment Committee's report—‘London in a Spin; a Review of Helicopter Noise’ in October 2006, the Department agreed with the Civil Aviation Authority that NATS would provide data on helicopter movements over London. This information is now published at regular intervals on the CAA website at the following link:
The tables published by CAA show data for helicopter movements within the London (Heathrow) and London City control zones (CTRs) from January 2007 to date.
As regards information prior to January 2007, the London Assembly report included a year-by-year total for the period 1997 to 2006 for commercial and non-commercial helicopter movements at Metro London Heliport at Battersea.
Humber Bridge: Tolls
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the findings of the Humber Bridge Tolls Impact Assessment; and if he will make a statement. [244776]
Paul Clark: The study will be included in the evidence presented to the Inspector as part of the public inquiry on the application by the Humber Bridge Board to revise tolls at the Humber bridge. In these circumstances it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the study and its findings.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the public inquiry into the proposed increase in the cost of the Humber Bridge Tolls to be held; and if he will make a statement. [244777]
Paul Clark: The Humber Bridge Board will shortly issue a public notice giving the date and location for the public inquiry.
Mental Illness
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department’s policy responsibilities made in the Foresight report on Mental Capacity and Well-Being; and if he will make a statement. [244025]
Paul Clark: We are pleased to see the report of this project. While it makes no specific recommendations relating to the Department for Transport’s policy responsibilities, we will work with the lead Departments and others as necessary to help give effect to the recommendations. The findings will inform and assist the Department in developing policies to meet the travel needs of particular groups such as older or disabled people.
Motor Vehicles: Insurance
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the accuracy of information held on the Motor Insurance Database. [245914]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The provision of data to the Motor Insurance Database is the responsibility of the insurance industry. The Department for Transport data submission requirements for the insurance industry are for 95 per cent. of new records to be on the database within seven days. The industry estimates that nearly 99 per cent. of all appropriate records are now placed on the database within seven days.
Offenders
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department’s policy is on employing former prisoners. [246339]
Mr. Hoon: The Department for Transport Centre and its agencies do not maintain a record of the number of former prisoners that are employed.
Recruitment to the Department for Transport follows the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code. There are character checks and security vetting, and a criminal record does not automatically disqualify an individual from appointment or vetting clearance.
Parking: Fines
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the number of outstanding parking adjudication cases in London; and what the equivalent figures were (a) 12 and (b) 24 months previously. [245835]
Paul Clark: The Government do not hold this information. The Parking and Traffic Adjudication Service (PATAS) is responsible for making adjudication decisions in London. London councils provides the administrative and hearing centre service for PATAS.
Railway Stations: South West
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to (a) reopen closed rail stations and (b) open new rail stations in the South West; and if he will make a statement. [245001]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has no plans to reopen closed stations or open new stations in the South West. It is for local transport authorities to promote the opening of new stations if they believe this is the best way of meeting local transport needs.
Railways: Construction
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department has given to the introduction of Maglev technology in the British rail network. [245000]
Paul Clark: The July 2007 Rail White Paper, “Delivering a Sustainable Railway”, set out the Government’s strategy to improve the quality of inter-urban rail services, and to make the best use of existing networks by lengthening existing trains, increasing service frequencies and tackling key congestion pinch points.
The White Paper proposals are measured against the key tests of capacity, quality of service, value for money and environment. Increasing capacity is key, particularly in those services experiencing crowding.
The White Paper was clear that Maglev would offer less flexibility than a conventional railway to adapt to future changing patterns of demand. For example, it would be unable to accommodate other rail services. While Maglev currently operates on a relatively short point-to-point basis, scaling the technology up to a national network is unproven.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to promote high speed rail links to the North East. [245012]
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent discussions his Department has had with rail operators in (a) the UK and (b) other European countries to discuss the potential for high speed rail in the UK; [244998]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to promote and implement a trans-European high speed rail network; [244999]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effects of a north-south high speed rail line in the UK. [245136]
Paul Clark: The Government’s immediate priority is increasing capacity on the existing rail network and £10 billion will be invested from 2009 to 2014 on measures to bring this about.
In March 2008, the Secretary of State for Transport invited Network Rail to examine options for supporting further growth in the longer term, which might include new lines. The National Networks Strategy Group, chaired by Lord Adonis and outlined in the written ministerial statement laid by the Secretary of State on 29 October 2008, is available at:
will build on Network Rail’s work as part of the group’s focus on longer term solutions for strategic transport corridors.
Railways: Electrification
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given by his Department to the electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak London overground railway line; and if he will make a statement. [246937]
Paul Clark: A rail industry working group led by Network Rail is examining the business case for electrifying a range of routes such as Gospel Oak to Barking. The group is expected to publish its conclusions by the end of March 2009.
Railways: Freight
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to improve rail freight facilities in Nottinghamshire. [243957]
Paul Clark: We are investing in developing a Strategic Freight Network to meet the industry’s growth forecasts of 30 per cent. over the next decade, as set out in the 2007 Rail White Paper. Network Rail is leading an industry working group to identify specific enhancement projects and will publish details in their Strategic Business Plan in March 2009.
Railways: Greater London
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the planned work to upgrade the Barking to Gospel Oak railway line has been delayed until 2013-14. [246420]
Paul Clark: This project has not been delayed to 2013-14.
The Government have provided a grant of £18.5 million from the Productivity Transport Innovation Fund and asked Network Rail to deliver capability and capacity improvements on the Barking to Gospel Oak line.
Railways: Lancashire
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will invite the British Rail Residual Property Board to sell for a notional sum to Lancashire County Council the rail track bed between Colne and Foulridge; and if he will make a statement. [244163]
Paul Clark: It is for Lancashire county council and BRB (Residuary) Ltd. to reach an agreement on the commercial terms for the sale of the track bed between Colne and Foulridge to the council. Terms were quoted by BRB (Residuary) Ltd.’s agent, Lambert Smith Hampton, on 31 July 2008 and the county have six months from that date to reach an agreement. I urge the council to enter into negotiations with BRB (Residuary) Ltd.’s agents for the acquisition of the land.
Railways: Marketing
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on publicity for rail services in each year since 1997. [245476]
Mr. Hoon: Figures are only available since the Department for Transport (DFT) was formed in 2002-03.
Up until 2006, responsibility for publicity on rail services rested with the Strategic Rail Authority who spent the following on advertising:
| £000 | |
Aside from statutory advertising, we have not incurred advertising expenditure promoting rail services since the amalgamation of the SRA into DFT.
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