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23 Feb 2009 : Column 488W—continued
Driving Instruction: Greater London
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Driving Standards Agency driving examiners conducting passenger service vehicle tests there were in the Greater London area in the last 12 months. [257390]
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many delegated driving examiners in the Greater London area were quality assured in 2008. [257394]
Driving Tests: Greater London
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was of tests taken with delegated driving examiners in the Greater London area in each year from 2005 to 2008. [257392]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The pass rates of tests taken with delegated driving examiners working for bus companies, in the Greater London area between 2005 and 2008 are as follows:
| Percentage pass rate | |
| (1) January to August 2008 only. | |
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was for passenger service vehicle driving tests taken by Driving Standards Agency examiners in the Greater London area in each year from 2005 to 2008. [257393]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Driving Standards Agency do not hold historical information on pass rates by calendar year. They do have this information by financial year as follows, along with the 2008 calendar year.
| Greater London area | |
| Period covered | Percentage pass |
Driving: Licensing
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what monitoring processes his Department and its agencies use to ensure equality of opportunity for members of ethnic minority groups (a) applying for provisional driving licences and (b) applying to take the driving test. [256534]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not monitor the ethnicity of applicants for a provisional driving licence.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) completed an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) on the processes for applying to take a driving test in January 2008. This confirmed they were not influenced by ethnicity or race.
DSA’s driving test booking processes are validated annually via a ‘mystery shopping’ exercise. This ensures the assessment is undertaken anonymously and independently by independent researchers. This survey is undertaken to ensure that the processes validated by the EIA are performed correctly and fairly.
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving licence change of address notifications were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in 2008. [258218]
Garages and petrol Stations
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to require all petrol stations to provide a free air service for tyre inflation. [257005]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department does not have any plans to require all petrol stations to offer a free tyre inflation service. However, correct tyre inflation is important from a CO2 reduction perspective. This is why provision of tyre inflation equipment is included in a list of energy efficiency measures, on which the Department is seeking to establish a voluntary agreement with fuel suppliers. The Department is also promoting the importance of keeping tyres correctly inflated via the Act On CO2 campaign.
Heathrow Airport
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation would be required before a third runway at Heathrow could come into operation. [256764]
Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made clear on 15 January 2009 the Government’s strong environment commitments in relation to expanding Heathrow. These are firm obligations. The precise mechanisms needed to deliver them—including any necessary legislation—are under consideration and will be announced in due course.
Heathrow Airport: Carbon Emissions
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the effect of a third runway at Heathrow on levels of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from stacking by commercial aircraft awaiting clearance to land at Heathrow. [254681]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport’s report, “Improving the Air Passenger Experience”, provides appropriate estimates of aircraft stacking above Heathrow. This report is available at:
Figure 27 on page 25 shows that in 2006-07, 56 per cent. of arriving aircraft were held in a stack and for those held, there was an average 8.5 minute hold. This equates to roughly 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted by aircraft stacking at Heathrow in 2006-07.
As the capacity constraint is reached at Heathrow, these delays and emissions are forecast to increase in future without additional capacity.
Although the effect on stacking of a third runway has not yet been quantified, it is anticipated that a third runway will reduce the need for aircraft to be held in stacks. It will also enable the airport to operate with greater flexibility for slot re-timing with potentially fewer delays for passengers.
High Speed Trains: Lancashire
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent discussions he has had with High Speed Two Ltd. on proposals to develop a high speed railway line between (a) London and Lancashire and (b) London and the centre of Birmingham; [257983]
(2) whether an assessment of proposals for a high speed railway line between London and Lancaster will be contained in the document to be produced by High Speed Two Ltd. by the end of 2009; [257984]
(3) whether he has commissioned research on the provision of a new high speed rail link to Scotland. [257985]
Paul Clark: A new company, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd., has been formed to develop the case for high speed services between London and Scotland.
As a first stage, the company is expected to bring forward proposals for Britain's second new high speed line, between London and the west midlands, by the end of the year, and to consider the potential for new lines to serve the north of England and Scotland. This will need to include an appraisal of the environmental, planning, technological, capacity, value for money and funding issues.
High Speed Trains: North East Region
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to fund the development of high-speed rail links to and from the north-east in the next five years. [257544]
Paul Clark: A new company, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd., has been formed to develop the case for high speed services between London and Scotland.
As a first stage, the company is expected to bring forward proposals for Britain's second new high speed line, between London and the west midlands, by the end of the year, and to consider the potential for new lines to serve the north of England and Scotland. This will need to include an appraisal of the environmental, planning, technological, capacity, value for money and funding issues.
Humber Bridge: Road Traffic
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of levels of traffic on the Humber Bridge in each of the next 10 years. [257399]
Paul Clark: The Humber Bridge Board is responsible for estimating levels of traffic on the Humber bridge.
Humber Bridge: Tolls
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an assessment of the merits of a reduction of the Humber Bridge toll by £1 for a one-year period. [258037]
Paul Clark: It is for the Humber Bridge Board to make such an assessment and make an application to the Secretary of State.
No such application has been made.
Low Emission Zones: Ambulance Services
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on (a) the establishment of low emission zones by local authorities and (b) the charges which may be imposed on ambulances operated by St. John Ambulance entering these zones; and if he will make a statement. [256915]
Jim Fitzpatrick: None, although the Department continues to discuss with a number of stakeholders, including the Environmental Industries Commission, DEFRA and CENEX, the role of low emissions zones.
The establishment of a low emission zone is a matter for consideration by the relevant local authority, as are the criteria and standards for a scheme. That is, the criteria and standards, including which vehicles are affected and any exemptions, are determined by the relevant local authority as the scheme sponsor. This is most evident with the London low emission zone where Transport for London, directed by the London Mayor, administer and monitor the scheme.
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicle excise duty (VED) licences were issued for domestic vehicles registered at addresses in City of York constituency in each VED band in each of the last five years. [257841]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of licensed cars registered to private keepers in the City of York parliamentary constituency at the end of each of the last five years were:
| Vehicle excise duty band | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
Cars registered prior to 1 March 2001 are licensed in the private and light goods vehicles class and not in relation to their carbon dioxide emissions.
Statistics relating to the end of 2008 are not yet available, but are due to be published in April 2009.
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