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2 Apr 2009 : Column 1404W—continued
Aviation
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission an independent review of the Air Transport White Paper. [268625]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Air Transport White Paper is kept under regular review. The Department for Transport published a progress report on the White Paper in December 2006, and a further progress report is due to be published within the next two years. Forecasts of UK air passenger numbers and CO2 emissions are also reviewed regularly, the most recent edition being published in January 2009. The forecasting methods were independently peer-reviewed as part of the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport Impact Assessment. The Air Transport White Paper also contains a commitment to evaluate the policies set out in the White Paper; the first stages of this evaluation are now under way.
Bus Services: Concessions
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many concessionary bus passes for people over 60 years have been issued to residents of Essex. [264439]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport is not responsible for issuing passes and so does not maintain records of how many passes individual authorities have issued.
The last information held by the Department was that as of 7 April 2008 Essex local authorities, including the unitary authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea had submitted approximately 211,000 applications for the new smartcard concessionary passes to their pass supplier. This includes applications from disabled people as well as those aged 60 and over.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations answered (a) yes, (b) no and (c) blank in respect of each of the questions contained in the consultation on the definition of eligible services for the statutory bus concession in England. [268635]
Paul Clark: A list of the consultees and their responses has been prepared. The list excludes around half a dozen respondents who requested confidentiality. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Chippenham Railway Station
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects funding to be made available through the Access for All programme for Chippenham railway station. [267383]
Paul Clark: We announced in January 2008 that Chippenham would be targeted for investment under the Access for All programme during the 2012-15 period. Following an initial site survey and option selection process, we expect Network Rail to install an obstacle free, accessible route at the station within this timescale.
Christmas
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his Department’s policy to offer staff (a) additional leave entitlement for Christmas shopping and (b) Christmas bonus payments. [262815]
Mr. Hoon: The Department for Transport does not offer staff additional leave entitlement for Christmas shopping or Christmas bonus payments.
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to introducing a toll-free crossings trial at the Dartford Crossing. [266643]
Paul Clark: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has made it clear that he is willing to consider innovative solutions to improve transport links and has invited local MPs to meet Ministers to discuss solutions.
For much of the day the crossing operates at or above capacity. The tunnels in particular could not handle more traffic than the toll plaza can process. That, among other things, would need to be taken into account if we introduced any trial arrangements.
Departmental Bank Services
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2009, Official Report, column 986W, on departmental bank services, what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each contract between his Department and each of the banks listed in the Answer. [268306]
Mr. Hoon: The Department for Transport has had four contracts in place with banks in 2008-09 as follows:
Departmental Buildings
Dr. Pugh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what buildings are owned or operated by his Department
under a private finance initiative (PFI) arrangement; and which companies are involved with each such PFI arrangement. [267406]
Mr. Hoon: The information requested is as follows:
| Property name | PFI company |
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what properties (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies have sold in each of the last five years. [267553]
Mr. Hoon: The information is provided as follows.
| DFT Organisational Unit | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| (1 )Relates to calendar year | ||||||
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