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12 Jun 2009 : Column 1046W—continued
During the period covered by Table B, the introduction of the statutory concessionary travel scheme has meant that many passengers now travel for free on local buses.
Information on the average length of bus stage can be found in Table C.
| Table C: Average bus stage length: England, 1996-98 to 2006 | |
| Miles | |
| Source: National Travel Survey | |
The sample size for the National Travel Survey was nearly trebled from 2002 compared with previous years enabling results to be presented on a single year basis. Previously data were shown for three-year time periods because of the smaller sample size.
Departmental Billing
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many and what proportion of invoices his Department and its agencies paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [278825]
Chris Mole: Information on the proportion of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt for the Department for Transport and its agencies (save for data for the Vehicle and Certification Agency) is only available from January 2009.
The figures from January 2009 are set out in the table:
| Department/agency | January 2009 | February 2009 | March 2009 | April 2009 | May 2009 |
| (1) No data Note: Figures exclude VCA data. | |||||
Departmental Data Protection
James Brokenshire: To ask the Minster of State, Department for Transport how many notifications his Department made to the Information Commissioner in the year ended 30 April 2009 in respect of the loss or mishandling of personal information or data; what was notified in each such case; and how many individuals were the subjects of personal information or data in respect of which such notifications were made. [278749]
Chris Mole: Under the mandatory requirements of the Data Handling Report published on 25 June 2008, the Department for Transport is required to give a summary report on data breaches reported to the Information Commissioner in our annual resource accounts.
The Department for Transport has reported on personal data breaches in the 2007-2008 annual resource account and this can be found at:
We will be publishing information on personal data security breaches reported to the Information Commissioner for the 2008-09 reporting year before Parliament rises in July. The information is currently being compiled and is to be audited and verified before it is laid before Parliament.
Driving Tests: Motorcycles
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many candidates of each sex and age group (a) took and (b) passed the motorcycle driving test in each month since October 2008. [278650]
Paul Clark: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Driving: Licensing
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many complaints were received by (a) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and (b) his Department about the processing of driving licence applications in each year since 1997. [278657]
Paul Clark: The number of complaints received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in relation to driving licences for each financial year was:
| Number | |
Data for years prior to 2001 are not available. Complaints received by the Department for Transport are forwarded to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and these are included in the above figures. These volumes are not stored.
Driving: Working Hours
Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions he has had at EU level on proposals to extend the application of the European Regulation on drivers’ hours to drivers of vehicles not exceeding 3.5 tonnes. [278679]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has had no discussions at EU level on any proposals to extend the EU drivers’ hours rules to drivers of vehicles not exceeding 3.5 tonnes, since the negotiations on Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 were completed.
Electric Vehicles
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of electric vans and light commercial vehicles in use on public roads; and what plans he has to facilitate greater usage of vehicles. [278760]
Mr. Khan: The number of electric light goods vehicles registered in Great Britain as at 31 December 2008 was 4,149.
The Government have a number of policies in place to facilitate greater use of electric vehicles. Electric cars and vans are exempt from vehicle excise duty and fuel duty. Businesses which purchase electric and low carbon cars can claim enhanced capital allowances and people who use electric cars as their company car pay the lowest rate of benefit in kind.
In addition to these fiscal measures the Government recently announced a £250 million scheme to support the purchase of electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars.
This scheme will take effect from 2011 onwards and will help reduce the price of these cars to consumers by £2 to 5,000. The Department for Transport’s low carbon vehicle procurement programme is also supporting the demonstration of low carbon and all-electric vans in the public sector and the winners of the procurement exercise for this project will be announced shortly.
Highways Agency: Collective Bargaining
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether all staff working in the Highways Agency are covered by collective bargaining arrangements. [279530]
Chris Mole: All staff for whom the Highways Agency has delegated pay responsibility (staff below senior civil service) are covered by collective bargaining arrangements. The Highways Agency seeks to reach agreement with the unions through collective bargaining and does not have a policy of persuading, encouraging or trying to get staff to opt out of collective bargaining. In relation to the Highways Agency’s 2008 pay offer, agreement with the unions was not possible and internal bargaining mechanisms had been exhausted. The Highways Agency invited individual members of senior staff below the senior civil service (HA Grades PB8/PB7/TM3), to voluntarily opt in to new reward and performance management arrangements. These staff remain covered by collective bargaining arrangements.
Level Crossings: Hearing Impaired
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent representations he has received on hearing-impaired people and safety at level crossings on railways; what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on safety at railway level crossings for hearing-impaired people; and if he will make a statement. [278762]
Chris Mole: No direct representations on this subject have been made to the Secretary of State for Transport recently. However, we are aware of the concerns of disabled people with the operation of level crossings, through regular liaison with the disabled persons transport advisory committee: the Government’s statutory advisors on the transport needs of disabled people, which includes representatives of people with impaired hearing.
As part of their £10 million annual research programme, funded by the Department for Transport, the Rail Safety and Standards Board will shortly be commissioning a research project into this subject, entitled “T650-Improving safety and accessibility at level crossings for disabled pedestrians”.
Network Rail is currently planning for the next generation of level crossing designs and the Rail Safety and Standards Board’s research, which should report in 2010, aims to find out what specific facilities for disabled pedestrians should be included in order to improve accessibility and reduce risk. The disabled persons transport advisory committee was involved in establishing the scope of this project, and they, and other groups, will be involved as the work is taken forward.
Lorries: Vetting
Chris Grayling: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many drivers of heavy goods vehicles carrying hazardous liquid fuels have been security vetted in each of the last three years; what the nationalities were of such drivers; and how many such drivers were not given security clearance. [278288]
Paul Clark: The Government do not mandate national security vetting background checks for drivers of heavy goods vehicles and the data requested are therefore not available. However, the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations, in line with EC requirements, set out a range of physical and personnel security measures designed to protect vehicles carrying dangerous goods, and their loads, from potential terrorist threats. These regulations are supported by detailed guidance to industry, including advice on pre-employment checks of drivers and other categories of staff who may potentially pose a risk. On the basis of this guidance companies develop and deliver their own personnel security regimes to manage the risks to their businesses.
Following Stephen Boys Smith’s review of personnel security in the transport sector, the Department for Transport is working with industry to review existing personnel security regimes to ensure they remain proportionate to the threat.
M25
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on what date each cost increase for the M25 design, build, finance and operate widening project was approved by Ministers. [278624]
Chris Mole: Ministers approved an increase in the cost of the two widening schemes (between junctions 16 and 23, and between junctions 27 and 30) that form part of the M25 Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) Contract, on 27 July 2007.
Ministers approved a maximum expected cost of the M25 DBFO Contract itself on 1 April 2009. The contract was awarded within this figure on 20 May 2009.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Roads plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 8 May 2009, about shared surface, Ref: JF/PC/012668/09. [279438]
Mr. Khan: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State replied to the hon. Member in a letter dated 18 May 2009.
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