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3 Dec 2009 : Column 868W—continued
East Coast Main Line Timetable
13. Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions he has had with the rail regulator and train operators on proposals for the East Coast Main Line timetable from December 2010. [303679]
Chris Mole: Department for Transport officials have regular meetings with the Office of Rail Regulation and train operators, and the proposal for a new East Coast Main Line timetable has been discussed at those meetings. No proposals have been put to Ministers and no final decisions have been taken.
London-Scotland High Speed Rail Link
14. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what progress has been made on plans for a new high speed rail link between London and Scotland. [303680]
Chris Mole: The High Speed 2 company will report to Ministers by the end of the year on the case for a new line to the west midlands and on the options for a larger network serving the north-west, Yorkshire, north-east and Scotland. We will consider the company's report and respond to proposals in the new year.
Light Pollution
15. Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will review the guidance given to highways authorities on light pollution in order to reduce levels of such pollution. [303681]
Mr. Khan: The Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light are produced by the Institution of Lighting Engineers (ILE), who are responsible for any reviews.
Rail Franchising
16. David Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent representations he has received on proposed changes to the franchise arrangements for operating national rail passenger services. [303682]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has received a number of representations with regard to amending the current national rail franchise arrangements. These representations have come from a number of bodies including the Association of Train Operating Companies, train operators and owning groups both from the UK and overseas.
Aircraft
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many pilots licensed to fly aircraft in the UK have flown (a) a BAe 146 and (b) a BAe 146 RJ. [303750]
Paul Clark: The information is not available in the format requested. However, since 1983 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued 2,002 pilots with a license type rating which allows them to fly the BAe 146 and BAe RJ series of aircraft.
Airports
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will encourage airport operators to provide air-bridge facilities at all UK airports. [303674]
Paul Clark: The provision of air bridge facilities for passengers is an operational and commercial matter for individual airports.
Bicycles: Highway Code
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that cyclists comply with the Highway Code. [302685]
Paul Clark: The Driving Standards Agency's publishers-The Stationery Office-promote the official print edition of the Highway Code under the banner "The Highway Code-for life, not just for learners". The agency is also planning a TV filler advert specifically featuring a cyclist as someone who needs to refer to the Highway Code.
The Department developed a new National Standard for cycle training called Bikeabililty (in England). The new National Standard aims to increase the amount of training, improve its quality, as well as make sure that cyclists are aware of the law. The Standard refers specifically to the Highway Code as providing important guidance for cyclists, detailing both the law and recommended practice. We have also developed a new THINK! Education website with resources for primary school teachers, pupils and parents covering the themes of cycle training, wearing the correct clothes, cycle maintenance and using the Highway Code.
The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. The hazards caused by cyclists who break road traffic laws are recognised by chief officers and appropriate action is taken where such offences are detected. We support action taken by the police to deter and reduce the number of cycling offences.
Cycling: Accidents
Mr. Bone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many children were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured whilst riding a bicycle in the latest year for which figures are available. [303863]
Paul Clark: Twelve children (aged 0-15) on pedal cycles were killed and 405 seriously injured in reported road accidents in 2008, the latest year for which figures are available.
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps he is taking to relieve congestion at the Dartford crossing; and if he will make a statement. [303673]
Mr. Khan: The Highways Agency is implementing a package of measures, including average speed cameras and further traffic management technology to improve journey times.
The Department is taking forward further work investigating measures to improve performance at the existing crossing in the short to medium term.
Roads: Accidents
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of child road deaths. [302805]
Paul Clark: Recent steps the Department for Transport has taken to reduce the number of child road deaths include:
new advertising and education campaigns aimed at children, their parents and teachers;
the dissemination of the Kerbcraft child pedestrian training scheme;
the roll out of Bikeability cycle training; and
the roll out of school travel plans and infrastructure for safer routes to school.
We have also, in our consultation on a new road safety strategy, proposed to provide greater encouragement for local authorities to introduce 20 mph limits and zones in streets which are primarily residential in nature.
The safety of all road users, including children, also benefits from our activities and spending on broader road safety measures, including changes to the road environment and to improve driver behaviour.
Trust Ports
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent representations he has received on the commercialisation of trust ports assets. [303314]
Paul Clark: We received representations about various trust port issues during the consultation on our proposed guidance to the trust port sector. We have asked the major trust ports themselves to respond to us on restructuring issues including commercialisation of their assets.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (b) the British Ports Association, (c) individual trust ports, (d) banks and (e) local authorities on the commercialisation of trust port assets; [303315]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (b) the British Ports Authority, (c) individual trust ports, (d) banks and (e) local authorities on alternative business models for Trust Ports. [303316]
Paul Clark: I met the director and chairman of the British Ports Association in October to discuss trust port issues including the implications of the request in Modernising Trust Ports, our guidance to the sector, for analyses by the major trust ports of their corporate structures. In addition, officials have had various discussions with the individual ports and their advisers, and banks, about the issues concerned. The Secretary of State has also met representatives from the ports of Dover and Tyne and Dover district council.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the revenue raised through any privatisation of trust ports can be used for the benefit of the local communities in which those ports are located. [303318]
Paul Clark: Under the Ports Act 1991 a trust port privatising must form a successor company and make a transfer scheme for the Secretary of State's approval after a public consultation. A levy is chargeable on the disposal by the port authority of the securities of the successor company. We would consider the allocation of sale proceeds at the time that any voluntary privatisation scheme was submitted to the Department for Transport. We would also consider the desirability of encouraging allocation of equity to managers and employees of the port.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the favourability of market conditions for the commercialisation of trust port assets. [303319]
Paul Clark: None. I would expect the trust ports to include some assessment of market conditions in their responses to our request for structural analyses.
Wales
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria his Department uses in determining the award of contracts; and how much his Department has spent on the advertisement of tenders for Government contracts since 1997. [303128]
Mr. Hain: As an associated office, the Wales Office obtains its support services through the Ministry of Justice.
Departmental Work Experience
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) work experience places and (b) internships his Department has offered to young people in the last 12 months. [302263]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office has offered work experience to one young person in the last 12 months.
Women and Equality
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Deloitte Report
8. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the timing of the publication of the report by Deloitte on its operations. [303700]
9. Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the timing of the publication of the report by Deloitte on its operations. [303701]
Maria Eagle: The commission published this report on its website on 26 November 2009. I was not involved in that decision or in its timing.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the cost was of maintaining the Government Equalities Office website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within her responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year. [302425]
Michael Jabez Foster: The cost of maintaining the Government Equalities Office website in the 2008-09 financial year was £4,276.45.
The forecast cost of maintaining the same website in the 2009-10 financial year is £7,500.00.
Domestic Violence
Mr. Sharma: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the future of the rule on no recourse to public funds in respect of migrant women who have experienced domestic violence. [303695]
Maria Eagle: Last week, the Home Secretary and the Minister for Women and Equality launched "Together we can end violence against women and girls", in which the Government gave a commitment to launch a national pilot to assist victims of domestic violence who have no recourse to public funds because of their immigration status.
The pilot, which is being administered by Eaves housing, was launched this Monday (30 November 2009). I am pleased to note that Southall Black Sisters, based in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing Southall, (Mr. Sharma) sit on the advisory group for this pilot and are involved in delivering training for the pilot.
I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on this matter through the Inter Ministerial Group on Sexual and Domestic Violence.
Equality Bill
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what revisions were made to the explanatory notes to the Equality Bill following Committee stage; and what the reasons were for each such revisions. [303585]
Michael Jabez Foster: The Equality Bill was first published on 27 April this year with accompanying explanatory notes. The explanatory notes were republished on 19 November 2009, when the Bill was reintroduced in the House of Commons, following the Queen's Speech.
Revisions to the explanatory notes were made to reflect changes to the Bill made in the Public Bill Committee and issues raised in debate, and to make some clarifications and corrections of cost estimates and minor typographical errors.
Work and Pensions
Carbon Monoxide
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will bring forward proposals to ensure that equipment sold for the sustained burning of fuel carries (a) a warning of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and (b) a recommendation for a carbon monoxide monitor. [301643]
Jonathan Shaw: Gas supply companies are required by Ofgem to annually provide consumers with information about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The Government encourage consumers to have appliances regularly maintained and install carbon monoxide alarms as an additional protection measure.
DCLG is currently consulting on amendments to part J of the Building Regulations which include proposals to fit carbon monoxide alarms in properties where solid fuel appliances are installed.
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