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23 Jun 2009 : Column 772W—continued
Statistics from years prior to 2001 are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Transport
Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps he plans to take to improve the main transport routes in the UK. [281605]
Chris Mole [holding answer 22 June 2009]: The publication of Delivering a Sustainable Transport System (DaSTS) in November 2008 re-iterated the Department's commitment to serious long term transport planning.
We are investing £15 billion up to 2014 to transform the rail network, redeveloping stations and lengthening platforms. We are also delivering 1,300 extra carriages which will provide around 10,000 extra seats per day.
In January we announced up to £6 billion investment in the national strategic roads network. This will fund schemes on our major motorways including the M1, M6, M25 and M62 and major trunk roads the A1 and A14. This will deliver around 520 additional lane miles including 340 lane miles of hard shoulder running.
We have also set up a company, High Speed Two, to develop proposals for a high speed line to the West Midlands possibly via interchange at Heathrow, with options for links to the North and Scotland.
Transport: Carbon Emissions
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the costs and benefits for the transport sector of carbon dioxide emissions trading. [279982]
Mr. Khan: The information requested is as follows:
In preparation for the inclusion of the aviation sector in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) from 2012, the Department has commissioned the following studies:
‘Including Aviation into the EU ETS: Impact on EU allowance prices' (2006) commissioned jointly with DEFRA
‘A Study to Estimate Ticket price Changes for Aviation in the EU ETS' (2007) commissioned jointly with DEFRA
‘The impacts of the use of different benchmarking methodologies on the initial allocation of emission trading scheme permits to airlines' (2007) commissioned jointly with the Environment Agency
‘A study to estimate the impacts of emissions trading on profits in aviation' (2007) commissioned jointly with DEFRA.
In addition, the Department has reviewed and considered a wide range of other studies that have been undertaken on the costs and benefits of carbon dioxide emissions trading for the aviation sector.
The Department for Transport has not specifically commissioned research on emissions trading for road transport.
The Department for Transport has not commissioned or evaluated research exclusively on the costs and benefits of emissions trading in respect of carbon dioxide emissions from ships.
Transport: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much funding his Department allocated to transport networks used primarily for tourism in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years. [280615]
Mr. Khan: Funding provided by the Department for Transport to local transport authorities is not generally ring-fenced and local authorities have discretion to spend their allocations in line with their priorities. Figures are not available at constituency level.
The Department provides integrated transport block and highways maintenance funding to local transport authorities to support capital investment in transport, which may be used for a range of purposes as the authorities see fit. Funding support provided to Essex county council in the last five years is shown in the following table:
| Essex county council | |
| £ million | |
Revenue expenditure on transport is generally supported through the Department for Communities and Local Government's Formula Grant.
Transport: Sight Impaired
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with regard to what forms of transport colour-blindness is tested as part of driver proficiency tests. [280906]
Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency does not test colour-blindness as part of the practical or theory test for any vehicle category.
Transport: Young People
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department is taking to consult young people on decisions relating to transport provision; and what other steps he is taking to increase levels of involvement of young people in decisions affecting their use of transport. [281265]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Transport’s overarching aim is to provide “transport that works for everyone”—including young people, from infants to young adults—through a transport system that balances the needs of the economy, the environment and society.
Most of the Department’s research into public attitudes involves understanding the views of young people from 16 years old. The Department proactively leads or participates in widespread consultations with young people, on a formal and informal basis, actively seeking their views on transport plans, issues and concerns. The Department also conducts research and runs consultations on the travel habits of children as well as young adults.
Transport Ministers have regular engagement with young people through organisations such as the UK Youth Parliament (for 11 to 18-year-olds) which regularly discusses key transport issues affecting young people. The Department has also worked with the National Youth Agency to develop ways of making transport more accessible to young people.
The Department educates children on road safety directly and via parents and schools (Think! Campaign). The Department also, through Cycling England, funds training on safer cycling for children, and seeks their views and their parents’ views on it.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he plans to answer Question 279865, tabled on 10 June 2009, on the Health and Safety Executive. [281293]
Paul Clark: I replied to the hon. Member on 17 June 2009, Official Report, column 297W.
International Development
Africa: Overseas Aid
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure that levels of development assistance provided to Africa by his Department are maintained during the economic downturn. [281226]
Mr. Thomas: The April 2009 Budget confirmed levels of UK official development assistance originally laid out in the comprehensive spending review of 2007. The Department for International Development’s (DFID) expenditure in Africa is now projected to be £3.4 billion in 2010-11. This ensures that the UK will deliver on its commitments to Africa made at Gleneagles in 2005.
Darfur: International Assistance
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent estimate is of the number of humanitarian aid organisations operating in Darfur; and what assessment he has made of their capacity to meet the needs of those who need their assistance. [280636]
Mr. Thomas: According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) there are 83 international NGOs and UN agencies working in Darfur. 13 NGOs were expelled on 4 and 5 March 2009. The UK Government have repeatedly called on the Government of Sudan (GoS) to allow all expelled NGOs to return.
Following the NGO expulsions, a joint UN-GoS mission concluded that immediate needs were being met, due to quick action by line ministries, the remaining NGOs, and UN agencies. GoS has committed to filling medium-term gaps in life-saving sectors such as health and water and sanitation. Meanwhile, the UK is monitoring coverage and quality of delivery of partners to scale up activities.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport for administrative operations by his Department in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff. [281052]
Mr. Michael Foster: The carbon dioxide emissions from road-based transport, as reported to the Sustainable Development Commission, were as follows:
| Carbon dioxide (tonnes) | Per FTE | |
This includes ministerial vehicles only.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many breaches of information security there have been at (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in the last five years. [281061]
Mr. Michael Foster: In the last five years there have been 22 breaches of information security.
My Department and its agencies report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
Information on personal data security breaches are published on an annual basis in the department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.
Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.
Departmental Electricity
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the percentage of electricity used by his Department which was derived from renewable sources in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [280973]
Mr. Michael Foster: The percentage of energy derived from renewable sources, as reported to the Sustainable Development Commission, on the UK estate was as follows:
| Percentage | |
Departmental Energy
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [280972]
Mr. Michael Foster: The amount of energy consumed in our UK estate per full-time equivalent, as reported to the Sustainable Development Commission, is as follows:
| kWh | |
Departmental Lost Property
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many laptop computers belonging to (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have been lost or stolen in the last five years. [281060]
Mr. Michael Foster: The information requested is as follows:
(a) The Department for International Development's (DFID's) central accounting records detailing write-off and lost information holds the following data in relation to laptop computers:
| Classification | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
All DFID laptops have secure encryption technology and no data have been put at risk. All losses and thefts are investigated by our Business Solutions Division and Security section for breach of security practice.
(b) We do not have any agencies.
Departmental Recycling
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) volume and (b) percentage of waste his Department recycled in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08. [281051]
Mr. Michael Foster: The amount of recycled waste, and its proportion of total waste produced, for the Department for International Development’s United Kingdom estate was as follows:
| Recycled waste (tonnes) | As percentage of total waste | |
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