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7 July 2009 : Column 642W—continued
(b) examiners working for the Driving Standards Agency in each financial year since 2000-01 was:
| Pass r ate (percentage) | |
Driving: Working Hours
Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2009, Official Report, column 290W, on driving: working hours, which categories of privately-owned horsebox are exempt from EU regulations on drivers’ hours; and whether drivers of horseboxes are considered commercial or non-commercial drivers. [284948]
Paul Clark: Privately owned horseboxes are exempt from the directly applicable EU drivers’ hours rules if they do not exceed 7.5 tonnes and are being used for the non-commercial carriage of goods.
Generally speaking, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) would normally consider that a vehicle not exceeding 7.5 tonnes is being used on a non-commercial basis where it is clear that the carriage of goods (in this case horses) is not with a view to making a profit. But ultimately, of course, it remains for the courts to interpret the law.
Heathrow Airport
Susan Kramer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the (a) surface area of and (b) number of people resident within the boundaries of the (i) 43-decibel and (ii) 57-decibel contour at Heathrow in each year since 1997; [283957]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of people resident within the boundary of the 43 decibel contour around Heathrow airport following the entry into operation of the third runway. [283958]
Paul Clark: As explained in the written answer on 25 February 2009, Official Report, columns 856-7W, daytime noise from aircraft is not normally assessed below 57 dBA or, for sensitivity analysis, below 54 dBA. Figures for 43 dBA are not therefore available.
Noise contour reports covering Heathrow from 1997 onwards are available on the Department for Transport’s website:
High Speed One
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he expects the sale of High Speed One to be completed. [284254]
Chris Mole: The Government expect to substantially complete the financial and operational restructuring of High Speed 1 this summer. Thereafter, the Government’s intention is to secure best value in High Speed 1 through a public auction of a long-term concession.
The precise timing of this sale has not yet been decided and will depend on an assessment of market conditions.
London and Continental Railways
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he expects the sale of property associated with London & Continental Rail Ltd to be completed. [284255]
Chris Mole: London and Continental Railways Ltd. hold a wide range of property interests, both those associated with the operation of the High Speed One railway, and associated developments.
Of these, by far the most significant in terms of independent commercial value are the development interests at Stratford and Kings Cross. In each case, London and Continental Railways has entered into separate development arrangements which will provide a long-term interest in the commercial potential of the sites.
No decision has yet been made as to when London and Continental Railways should seek to sell these interests. In part, this will depend on an assessment as to which point in the development project a sale would deliver best return to the taxpayer, versus future risk of continued participation.
Motorways: Speed Limits
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps he takes to ensure consistency across all regions of the Highways Agency when imposing speed limits on motorways when roadworks are taking place; and if he will make a statement. [284871]
Chris Mole: The Highways Agency achieves consistency in setting speed limits at road works on the strategic road network by adhering to the guidance detailed in Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual. Using site specific risk assessment the Traffic Signs Manual addresses the majority of variables to be considered in light of the individual locations and makes clear recommendations for each variable.
National Express East Coast
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his estimate is of the capital value of National Express East Coast Ltd. [284708]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has full visibility of the National Express East Coast management accounts. However, franchise capital values are commercially confidential.
Parking: Fines
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the level of use of automated number plate recognition systems in the levying of parking fines; and what guidance his Department has issued on the proportionate use of traffic-based surveillance cameras. [284152]
Mr. Khan: Camera equipment used by traffic authorities for civil parking enforcement has to be certified by the Secretary of State for Transport. The Department for Transport (DFT) is aware of one authority whose certified system uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to assist the visual identification of vehicles when the evidence is reviewed. Any system that relied solely on ANPR evidence would not comply with the certification criteria.
Guidance for traffic authorities in England on the use of camera technology for civil parking enforcement is set out on pages 55 to 58 of DFT's “Operational Guidance to Local Authorities on Parking Policy and Enforcement”, issued in March 2008.
Railway Track
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will make an assessment of the feasibility of restoring disused railway lines in England and Wales for use by cyclists and pedestrians. [283864]
Chris Mole: Many disused railway lines have already been transferred to Railway Paths Ltd, which is the commercial arm of the cycling charity SUSTRANS. The charity is developing these routes as cycle paths which are also suitable for pedestrian use.
Railways
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what (a) operational and (b) infrastructure barriers have been identified to linkages between High Speed One and any proposed high speed lines. [284256]
Chris Mole: High Speed Two will report to the Government by the end of the year with a proposed route from London to the West Midlands, setting out any necessary options. As part of this work, High Speed Two has been asked to provide advice on the costs and benefits of options for linking with High Speed One.
Railways: Franchises
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether funding allocated by his Department is able to be used to settle franchise disputes in the High Court during Control Period Four. [284488]
Chris Mole: Funding allocated by the Department for Transport is able to be used to settle franchise disputes in the High Court during Control Period 4.
Road Traffic Offences
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if the Secretary of State will make it his policy to monitor the incidence of publication on the internet of video recordings of traffic violations. [281782]
Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Campbell) on 30 June 2009, Official Report, column 168W.
Roads
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport in which local authority areas road pricing technology trials are taking place. [284150]
Mr. Khan: The trial is based around existing driving patterns of volunteers recruited by our contractors. Their driving is not restricted to specific local authority boundaries.
Safety Belts
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the rates of wearing (a) front and (b) rear seat belts
among (i) males and (ii) females of each age group in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [283721]
Paul Clark: Annual seat belt wearing surveys undertaken for the Department for Transport include information on seat belt usage rates by seating position, age and gender. The most recent publication, LF2106 (with results at October 2008) reported the relevant wearing rates in table 3. That publication is available free of charge at:
Speed Limits: Cameras
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the allocation of revenue from local safety camera partnerships. [283881]
Paul Clark: From April 2007, penalties paid as a result of offences detected by safety enforcement cameras have not been retained by local safety camera partnerships; therefore no currently relevant guidance is issued by the Department.
Transport: Government Assistance
Mr. Vara: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much his Department has spent on assistance for major public transport schemes in the East of England in each of the last 10 years. [283413]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Transport has provided the following support for public transport major schemes in the East of England in the last 10 years:
| Major public transport scheme s: East of England | ||||||
| Funding (£ million) | ||||||
| 1999-2004 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
Wales
Building Britain’s Future
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the Bills referred to in Annex A of the Building Britain's Future document (a) will include Framework Powers for Welsh Assembly Government Ministers and (b) will not include Wales in their territorial extent. [283863]
Mr. Hain: The policy content of Bills referred to in the Draft Legislative Programme is in the process of being developed. Discussions will continue between Ministers and officials, including the Welsh Assembly Government.
We will consider requests made by the Welsh Assembly Government for the need for framework powers which must be within the scope of the proposed Bill.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions officials of his Department have had with officials of other Government departments on the contents of Bills referred to in Annex A of the Building Britain’s Future document. [283977]
Mr. Hain: Wales Office officials have held, and continue to hold discussions with colleagues from other Government Departments on the implications for Wales of Bills in the Draft Legislative Programme.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the content of Bills referred to in Annex A of the Building Britain’s Future document. [283978]
Mr. Hain: My predecessor and I have held, and will continue to hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the content of Bills in the Draft Legislative Programme, as was published on 29 June 2009.
Departmental Databases
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information databases his Department (a) maintains and (b) uses which do not contain personal information. [284384]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office maintains its own databases to support the administration of correspondence, and of parliamentary questions. These do not contain personal data.
My Department also makes use of two database systems provided and maintained by the Ministry of Justice. One is a document storage system, which contains some personal data and this complies with Government rules on the storage of personal information. The other is a financial system to support our payments, financial management and accounting.
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