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13 Jan 2010 : Column 969W—continued
Body Searches
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his estimate is of the average time it takes to search an individual using a (a) body scanner and (b) pat down physical search. [309428]
Paul Clark: The average time taken for a search by body scanner is between 20 and 90 seconds, depending on the technology employed. A hand search takes around 45 seconds.
Buses: Concessions
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many people in Halifax are estimated to be eligible for the national concessionary bus fares scheme. [310461]
Mr. Khan: The Department for Transport does not hold information about the number of people eligible for a bus pass, that is persons aged 60 or over and eligible disabled people, at the level requested. West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (Metro) administers the concessionary travel scheme that includes Calderdale council and Halifax. Population estimates from the Office for National Statistics show that in mid 2008 there were 43,400 people resident in the Calderdale council area aged 60 or over. There is no information on the number of disabled people resident in the area.
Buses: Stafford
Mr. Cash: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to ensure the restoration of the X1 Baker Bus service to Stafford station. [309866]
Mr. Khan: The X1 bus service is a commercial service operated by Baker Bus Ltd. The X1 also provides a rail-replacement service between Wedgewood, Barlston and Stone stations.
Rail services between Stafford and Stone were restored in December 2008. However, London Midland Trains has made a commercial agreement with Arriva Buses that through rail tickets will be accepted providing through journey opportunities.
Departmental Domestic Visits
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many planned visits by Ministers in his Department within the UK were cancelled within 72 hours of the visit taking place in the last 12 months; and what the planned venue or venues were for each such visit. [309873]
Chris Mole: This information is not held by the Department for Transport.
Departmental Finance
Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what recent guidance his Department has issued to regional transport committees on the criteria to be used in their allocation of central funding for transport programmes; [310429]
(2) which Minister in his Department is responsible for policy in relation to the allocation of central funding for regional transport programmes; [310430]
(3) what criteria his Department uses to determine its funding allocations in respect of regional transport programmes. [310431]
Mr. Khan: My responsibilities include decisions on transport funding for cities and regional networks. Most such funding outside London is distributed to local authorities on the basis of advice received from regions.
Guidance to regions on preparing regional funding advice was most recently issued in July 2008, and is available at:
This sets out both the general criteria for advice across all the functions covered and the specific transport considerations to be taken into account. The guidance also includes at Annex E the formulae which have been agreed to distribute available funding between regions.
Since submitting advice in spring 2009, regions have been invited to undertake a number of further transport studies to influence decisions on investment from 2014 onwards. Guidance on the study programme was issued in July 2009 and is available at:
Departmental Pay
John Mason: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what (a) bonuses and (b) incentives have been paid to (i) consultants and (ii) contractors engaged by his Department in each of the last three years. [300629]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not record the details of bonus and incentive payments centrally and this could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
However the following bonus and incentive payments are known to have been paid:
The central department paid Operon gainshare and incentive payments of £340,654 in 2006-07, £394,905 in 2007-08 and £464,061 in 2008-09 for successfully meeting key performance indicators related to delivery of total facilities management services.
John Mason: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what (a) bonuses and (b) incentives have been paid to (i) consultants and (ii) contractors engaged by executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible in each of the last three years. [300630]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not record the details of bonus and incentive payments centrally and this could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
However, following a search across the Departments Executive Agencies and non-departmental public bodies, the following bonus and incentive payments are known to have been paid.
Driving Standards Agency made incentive payments of £26,032 in July 2008 and £10,544 in July 2009 for the completion of multi purpose test centres being delivered to the agreed programme.
Departmental Surveys
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of the survey was. [309836]
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport will be publishing its October 2009 staff survey results for the Department and its agencies on the Department's website on 1 February 2010. Following publication we will place a copy of the results in the Library.
The supplier for the Department for Transport staff survey in October 2009 was ORC International who were procured by the Cabinet Office to deliver the first cross-civil service People Survey. The People Survey replaced all existing staff surveys in the civil service with a single questionnaire.
The cost of the 2009-10 People Survey for the Department for Transport and its agencies was £76,000. By procuring a single supplier for staff surveys in 2009-10 the civil service has saved 35 per cent. on the total cost of staff surveys in 2008-09.
M6
Mr. Timpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what progress has been made on the review of road safety between junctions 15 and 19 of the M6 motorway. [310065]
Chris Mole [holding answer 11 January 2010]: The Highways Agency has reviewed road safety between Junctions 15 and 19 of the M6, and other adjacent sections of the motorway, as part of its overall Annual Safety Report. This report has recommended further investigations at various locations along the motorway. The Highways Agency has also launched a number of targeted educational campaigns and other initiatives aimed at improving road safety along this and other sections of the motorway.
Roads: Snow and Ice
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of grit and salt to treat roads and pavements during very cold weather periods; and what the sources are of salt used for such road treatments. [309987]
Mr. Khan: The Government have convened a group called the 'Salt Cell', bringing together the Department for Transport, the devolved Administrations (Scotland and Wales), the Highways Agency, the Local Government Association (LGA), County Surveyors Society, Met Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Cabinet Office.
The aim of the Salt Cell is to provide advice to suppliers on the most effective distribution of available salt supplies in order to minimise the risk to public
safety. The Salt Cell is continuously gathering and assessing salt stock and resilience levels and is working hard to ensure the delivery of salt goes to where it is needed most.
There are three significant salt mines within the UK. There are also three major salt merchants that import salt as well as supply UK produced salt. There are other salt merchants and businesses which supply relatively small quantities of salt.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on what date the Salt Cell became operational. [310553]
Mr. Khan: The Salt Cell became operational on the 6 January 2010 in order to respond to the current severe weather conditions.
Rolling Stock
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much has been spent on additional rolling stock for the Calder Valley line between Halifax and Leeds since 2005. [310460]
Chris Mole: Generally, rolling stock is not procured for particular routes unless there are special reasons, usually technical or operational, for doing so, and therefore it is not possible to identify additional trains provided specifically for services between Halifax and Leeds. However in 2006 Yorkshire Forward part funded the additional cost of 12 diesel multiple unit vehicles for use on services on routes in West Yorkshire, including those between Leeds and Halifax.
Transport Police
Mr. Watson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many people (1) were issued with a penalty notice for disorder under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 by the British Transport Police in each of the last three years; [310548]
(2) have been (a) arrested and (b) de-arrested by the British Transport Police in each of the last three years. [310549]
Chris Mole: This information is not held by the Department for Transport, but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport Police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail:
parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Belarus: Internet
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with his Belarus counterpart on the regulation of the internet in that country; and if he will make a statement. [310421]
Chris Bryant:
Access to the internet in Belarus is controlled through the monopoly of the national company Beltelkom and strict rules are imposed on owners of
internet cafes who are obliged to report when users visit banned websites. We are concerned by recent reports that a new presidential decree would increase control over the internet in advance of the local elections expected this spring and the presidential elections expected early next year. We, and EU colleagues, regularly raise freedom of expression with the Belarusian authorities. Progress in this area would improve the relationship between Belarus and international organisations like the EU, Council of Europe, and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. On 7 May 2009, Belarus signed the Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit which stipulates that the
"Partnership will be based on fundamental values .... including democracy, the rule of law and the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms."
This includes the right to a free media.
Colombia
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of internally displaced people in Colombia; and if he will make a statement. [310551]
Chris Bryant: There are varying figures on the total number of displaced people in Colombia, but the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) puts the figure at almost 3.3 million. Further details can be found on the UNHCR website at:
We continue to urge the Colombian Government to take all appropriate steps to help these people, addressing the most urgent issues they face, including extreme poverty and the loss of their land.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK projects to reduce impunity in Colombia. [310552]
Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced a further £250,000 in UK project funds to help tackle impunity in Colombia in March 2009. These projects are ongoing in the current financial year, and it is too early to make an assessment of their effectiveness. The largest relevant project is being implemented with the assistance of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime and is being specifically tailored to meet needs identified by those involved in the Colombian judicial process, including investigators, lawyers and judges. Specialised training will commence in February 2010.
The other project funded with the additional money is a report reviewing the five years of operation of the Accusatorial Criminal Justice System. It will produce examples of best practice and draft proposals to present to Congress and the authorities aimed at improving the judicial process.
Colombia: Overseas Trade
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with his US counterpart on the negotiation of a free trade agreement between the US and Colombia; and if he will make a statement. [310444]
Chris Bryant: Neither my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary nor I have held recent discussions with our US counterparts on the negotiation of any free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 410W, on Colombia: overseas trade, for what reasons he will not withdraw from the negotiation of a free trade agreement with Colombia. [310455]
Chris Bryant: I refer the hon. Member to the response made by my hon. Friend the Minister of State (Mr. Lewis) on 26 November 2009, Official Report, column 302W.
We believe that free trade agreements can help to create the right circumstances for improved stability, where human rights stand a better chance of flourishing. Denying Colombia access to the economic opportunities presented by the multi-party trade agreement would undermine this prospect.
However, we would not support an agreement that did not contain a robust and enforceable human rights clause, which would allow the EU to suspend the agreement if it is breached.
Departmental Domestic Visits
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many planned visits by Ministers in his Department within the UK were cancelled within 72 hours of the visit taking place in the last 12 months; and what the planned venue or venues were for each such visit. [309877]
Chris Bryant: The information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers make every effort to fulfil engagements, but occasionally it may be necessary for business reasons to make changes at shorter notice than we would prefer. In those situations we always seek to minimise the inconvenience caused.
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