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5 Feb 2009 : Column 1388W—continued
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on roads in the London borough of Bexley in each of the last five years. [254802]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of casualties that were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured resulting from reported personal injury road accidents in the London borough of Bexley in each of the last five years are given in the following table:
| Number of casualties | ||
| Killed | Seriously injured | |
Shipping: Piracy and Terrorism
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold discussions with his European and US counterparts on counter-piracy and counter-terrorism measures aboard passenger cruise ships. [252113]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Currently there are no plans for Department for Transport Ministers to hold discussions with European or US counterparts on improving counter-piracy and counter-terrorism measures on board passenger cruise ships. The Government work with international partners, including the International Maritime Organization, to ensure UK registered cruise ships are given the best advice available to prevent acts of piracy and terrorism. We undertake a programme of inspection to check that our ships are complying with their on board counter-terrorism security plans. Such plans are approved by the Department for Transport as meeting the relevant provisions of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention, the International Ship and Port Facility Code and European Regulation. Our advice on preventing pirate attacks, including the measures that can be taken on board ships, is contained in Marine Guidance Note 298.
Speed Limits: Cameras
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent guidance his Department has issued on the visibility of speed enforcement cameras; what legislation currently regulates the visibility of speed enforcement cameras; and if will make a statement. [253005]
Jim Fitzpatrick: On 31 January 2007 the Department for Transport issued DfT Circular 01/2007, guidance on the deployment, visibility and signing of speed and red light cameras. The guidance was placed in the Library of the House and is also available on the Department's website. This came into effect on 1 April 2007 and recommends a high visibility approach to speed enforcement that the Department expects road safety partnerships to follow. However there is no legislation in place regulating the visibility of speed enforcement. The Department has always made clear that it remains open to the police to conduct covert enforcement of speed limits.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what legislation speed camera zones must be clearly signposted; what changes have been made to this legislation since its enactment; and if he will make a statement. [253009]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
There is no legislation in place mandating the signing of areas where speed enforcement is taking place. Guidance on the deployment, visibility and signing of speed and red light cameras is contained in DfT Circular 01/2007, guidance on the deployment, visibility
and signing of speed and red light cameras. The guidance was placed in the Library of the House and is also available on the Department for Transport's website. This came into effect on 1 April 2007 and recommends the use of camera warning signs where permitted and practicable. The signing is contained in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) and its use is not mandatory. However, in order for a speed limit to be enforced all speed limit signing must be lawful and correct and in accordance with TSRGD.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras were (a) installed on and (b) removed from roads in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Essex and (iii) Southend in each year from 2000 to 2007. [254137]
Jim Fitzpatrick [ holding answer 3 February 2009]: The Department only holds figures for 2007 until 31 March, when the National Safety Camera programme ended. The number of speed camera sites installed and removed in England and Wales and Essex is outlined in the following table. Separate information for Southend is not held:
| Number of speed cameras installed and removed in England and Wales and Essex | ||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
Transport Innovation Fund
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2009, Official Report, column 1432W, on public transport: Greater Manchester, how many high quality Transport Innovation Fund proposals he has received. [253860]
Paul Clark: We continue to work with a number of other authorities as they consider their congestion problems and the role that demand management, including road pricing, alongside better public transport could play in tackling them and, if appropriate, develop proposals.
Prime Minister
India: Ministerial Visits
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has received representations from the Indian Government on the recent visit by the Foreign Secretary. [253705]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the Press Briefing given my spokesman on 21 January. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website at:
Sir Fred Goodwin: Honours
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister if he will recommend to Her Majesty the Queen that the knighthood awarded to Sir Fred Goodwin for services to banking be withdrawn. [253483]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 28 January 2009, Official Report, column 542W.
House of Commons Commission
Internet
Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 995-6W, on the internet, on what date he estimates the better quality videos of the Parliamentary tour will be available for viewing on YouTube. [254569]
Nick Harvey:
Following the review of the tour videos against editorial standards for quality and accuracy, it has been decided that, in their current form, the videos do not meet the required standards and that some
additional filming will probably be required. The films will not therefore be ready to be relaunched in the immediate future. No date has yet been set as the work is still being scoped, but they will be put back on the website as soon as this work has been done.
Members: Pensions
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the House of Commons Commission has set a target for the time within which hon. Members' enquiries regarding their pensions are to be responded to. [253924]
Chris Bryant: I have been asked to reply.
The administration of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund is a matter for the Trustees. I have asked their chairman, the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir John Butterfill), to write to the hon. Member.
Snow and Ice
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many snow shovels are owned by the House of Commons. [254561]
Nick Harvey: Snow clearance on the parliamentary estate is the responsibility of the company which holds the main cleaning contract. The company currently has five snow shovels on site. It has been instructed to increase the number to 20. On 2 February other shovels were also used. The problems encountered in clearing the snow were caused by a shortage of staff. Given the circumstances both the contractor's and the House's personnel were used to clear snow but many had been prevented from travelling by the weather.
Church Commissioners
Lead Theft
9. John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what estimate the Church Commissioners have made of the number of churches from which lead has been stolen in the last two years. [254306]
Sir Stuart Bell: In the last two years, Anglican churches have suffered over 4,500 thefts of metal costing around £18.5 million. These have been by far the worst in the Church’s history for metal theft.
Church of England: Finance
Miss McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what assessment the Church Commissioners have made of the effect of the current economic climate on levels of giving to parishes (a) via the collection plate and (b) otherwise; and if he will make a statement. [254221]
Sir Stuart Bell: Over the last 30 years church members have increased giving as a proportion of net income from 1 per cent. to over 3 per cent., so there is still some way to go to achieve General Synod’s 5 per cent. target. Clearly church members will, like everyone else be affected by the present economic difficulties and the dioceses and Archbishops’ Council are monitoring the situation closely. The high proportion who give by regular standing order provides some measure of resilience, but these are uncertain times, particularly with other sources of Church income also under pressure.
Electoral Commission Committee
Registrar of Members’ Interests
6. Hugh Bayley: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to share information with the Registrar of Members’ Interests. [254303]
Sir Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has agreed with the Registrar the changes necessary to harmonise the Rules relating to the conduct of Members with the statutory requirements of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. These changes are set out in the Fourth Report of the Committee on Standards and Privileges which was published on 2 February 2009.
Early Voting
8. Mrs. Riordan: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of proposals for early voting in elections. [254305]
Sir Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it believes that paper-based, early voting at polling stations could improve access to the voting process without harming the integrity of the ballot. The Commission believes that the Government should decide how to proceed with early voting as part of a wider electoral modernisation strategy.
Fines
Mr. Grieve: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what administrative financial penalties may be levied by the Electoral Commission. [253588]
Sir Peter Viggers:
The Electoral Commission has powers to issue civil penalties under section 147 of the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) where a relevant organisation is late in delivering a statutory report to the Commission. The amount of
the civil penalty is calculated in accordance with subsection 3 of section 147, and depends on how late the relevant information is provided to the Commission.
The Electoral Commission is also able to apply to a magistrates court to order the forfeiture of an amount equal to the value of a donation that has been accepted by a registered party or regulated donee, if the donation was impermissible or a court is satisfied that the true amount of a donation was intentionally concealed.
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