Prisons: Uniforms

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) if he will consider the use of stab proof vests by all prison guards; [170111]

(2) if he will consider the use of slash and needle-proof gloves by all prison guards. [170112]

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has a zero-tolerance approach to violence within prisons and takes the safety of prison staff extremely seriously. Staff must be able to undertake their duties safely and be, as far as possible, protected from attack.

NOMS is currently assessing the benefits and feasibility of issuing front-line prison staff with covert clothing for routine wear, including vests which offer protection from knife slashing or stabbing.

Knife-resistant vests and other protective clothing are already provided to staff where a particular risk has been identified, including to specialist staff responding to serious incidents.

Slash-resistant and needle-resistant search gloves are currently available for staff use and local risk-assessment at individual prisons determines how widely they are used. Work is on-going to identify further suitable products which may benefit prison staff in conducting routine searches.

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Probation Trusts

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much is spent each year on probation trust building; which companies provide such premises; and when the contract governing the occupancy of such building is next due for renewal. [170384]

Jeremy Wright: The MOJ spent £94.7 million on the probation estate in respect of rents, rates, services charges, utilities, facilities maintenance and depreciation in 2012-13 compared to £104.5 million in 2011-12. The probation estate is a combination of freehold and leasehold premises. The MOJ provides the property to probation trusts to enable them to deliver the service and then, through the contract the trusts hold with the National Offender Management Service, recharges the trust for the majority of the cost.

Information in relation to each probation trust building could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many probation staff in England and Wales have been trained in sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [169841]

Jeremy Wright: Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which were inserted by virtue of section 111 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, have been included in the curriculum of the Probation Qualification Framework since 2012.

Employment information, including training details, relating to probation staff is held by the 35 probation trusts. It is not collected centrally and could not be collected without incurring disproportionate cost.

The Home Office is in the process of developing a training package on stalking, to be delivered to professionals working with offenders.

Salvation Army

Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) nationality and (b) gender was of each suspected victim of trafficking referred to the Trafficking Victim Support Scheme operated by the Salvation Army in September 2013; in which (i) region, (ii) country and (iii) parliamentary constituency each of the suspected victims was found; and which agency referred each person to the scheme. [170485]

Mr Vara: In September 2013 there were 73 referrals to the Government-funded support service for adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales administered by The Salvation Army. In the interests of victim safety only the region in which the victim was encountered is provided, and not the county or parliamentary constituency. Details are provided in the following table:

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Satellite Broadcasting

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what subscriptions his Department has for premium satellite television channels; and what the cost of each such subscription was in the most recent year for which figures are available; [168649]

(2) how many flat screen televisions have been purchased by his Department in the last 24 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of such purchases. [168757]

Jeremy Wright: In October 2010, the coalition Government decided to withdraw satellite television from the prison estate. There was a transition period, and there are now no public sector prisons allowing access to subscription TV channels in any part of the establishment.

As part of changes to the Incentives and Earned Privileges national policy framework which were announced in April 2013, subscription television services have been removed from all contracted out prisons as well.

The provision of services, such as satellite subscriptions, within judicial lodgings are provided by the lodgings manager, who is employed by the Ministry of Justice. Satellite channel subscriptions for judges' lodgings have now been cancelled with effect from 1 November 2013.

The Ministry of Justice holds the information requested for the most recent full annual period from 2012-13. The following premium satellite channel subscriptions were purchased in the transition period and there are no ongoing costs.

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HMP Swansea and HMP Warren Hill terminated their subscriptions in May 2012 and December 2012 respectively. Channels were not available in cells but only in association areas of the establishments.

The number (and cost) of flat screen televisions purchased by the Ministry of Justice in the last 24 months is as follows:

Flat screen televisions are primarily located in education departments and staff training rooms. Digital information points are also connected to flat screen televisions.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the highest number was of previous convictions or cautions of an offender who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence in each year since 2009; [165440]

(2) how many people convicted of (a) between five and nine, (b) between 10 and 14 and (c) 15 or more offences did not receive a custodial sentence for any of those offences in each year since 2009. [165441]

Jeremy Wright: The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), wrote to the

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hon. Member on 30 September to provide the following information, and copies were placed in the House Library.

The Government are committed to strengthening sentences, so that they combine robust punishment with requirements that are effective at preventing further offending and which provide reparation to victims and communities. To make progress in driving down re-offending rates the Government are fundamentally reforming the system:

For the first time in recent history, every offender released from custody will receive statutory supervision and rehabilitation in the community.

We are putting in place an unprecedented nationwide 'through the prison gate' resettlement service.

The market will be opened up to a diverse range of new rehabilitation providers.

We will introduce new payment incentives for market providers to focus relentlessly on reforming offenders.

We will create a new public sector National Probation Service, working to protect the public and building on the expertise and professionalism already in place.

Table 1 shows the offender who, at the point of receiving a sentence other than immediate custody for an indictable offence in each year since 2009, had the highest number of previous convictions or caution recorded against them. The table also includes the number of custodial sentences that individual has previously received. When a court sentences an offender the courts must treat previous convictions as a potential aggravating factor, however the courts powers are limited to the maximum penalty for the latest criminal offence committed. Persistent offenders are likely to receive a number of custodial sentences over their criminal careers.

Table 2 shows the number of offenders who did not receive any immediate custodial sentences for indictable offences in each year since 2009, by the number of times they were convicted during the year.

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It should also be noted that the vast majority of those offenders receiving 15 or more convictions for indictable offences during each year received at least one immediate custodial sentence over this period as shown in table 3.

The figures used to answer both of these questions have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are therefore provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Stalking: Sentencing

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a course of conduct is taken into account by a court when sentencing for a stalking-related offence; and if he will make a statement. [169842]

Mr Vara: A comprehensive framework of civil remedies and criminal offences is available to deal with stalking and harassment. This framework was strengthened by this Government by amendments to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 made by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. The offences of harassment and stalking require a person to pursue a course of conduct which amounts to the harassment or stalking of another person—a course of conduct is therefore an element of the offence which must be proven in order to secure a conviction. A course of conduct must involve conduct on at least two occasions.

In determining the appropriate sentence in each case the court will take account of all the circumstances including the level and nature of the contact. The sentencing guidelines for harassment offences make clear that where there is persistent contact over a longer period there is a greater degree of harm and the sentence should be aggravated accordingly.

Transport

Aircraft: Air Conditioning

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received on the incidence of aerotoxic syndrome; [169962]

(2) how many UK-based (a) pilots, (b) cabin crew have reported to his Department symptoms of neurological damage alleged to have arisen from aerotoxic syndrome. [169963]

Mr Goodwill: The term “aerotoxic syndrome” is not a medically recognised syndrome and does not define a discrete set of symptoms or signs.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Medical Department, who lead on aviation medical issues, has for a number of years maintained a separate record of cases of pilot applicants who reported acute or long-term symptoms which they considered were linked to exposure to contaminated cabin air.

Out of 28 cases, 14 pilots have since returned to flying or were never assessed as unfit, leaving 14 who remain unfit although a number of these individuals are now over the normal retirement age.

No new cases have been added since June 2012 and we are not aware of any further cases that are currently under review.

No reports have been received from cabin crew. The CAA Medical Department does not oversee the medical fitness of cabin crew and any such cases would be managed by the crew member's employer.

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department is conducting into aerotoxic syndrome. [170382]

Mr Goodwill: The term ‘aerotoxic syndrome’ is not a medically recognised syndrome and does not define a discrete set of symptoms or signs.

The Department's research programme into aircraft cabin air has been concluded and four published reports commissioned by the Department were considered by the Committee on Toxicity (COT) on 17 September.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made with the International Civil Aviation Organisation on an agreement on a global emissions trading scheme. [169941]

Mr Goodwill: The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly, which met from 24 September to 4 October, has agreed to develop a global market based measure to tackle aviation emissions. The ICAO Resolution on climate change adopted by the assembly sets out a work programme to finalise the design of a scheme for implementation from 2020. The results of this work will be reported and a decision taken at the next assembly in 2016.

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Aviation: Working Hours

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on changes in the allowed flying times for commercial pilots; and what discussions he has with members of other EU Governments on this issue. [170692]

Mr Goodwill: We support the adoption of the proposed Commission regulation on flight time limitations for the crew of commercial aircraft. The Civil Aviation Authority is satisfied that it will not lead to a reduction in safety for UK airlines and will improve safety across the EU as a whole.

The regulation has been discussed by technical representatives of the member states in the appropriate EU Regulatory Committee. The Committee voted overwhelmingly to support the adoption of the regulation.

Bicycles

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of bicycle ownership in each (a) county and (b) constituency. [169947]

Mr Goodwill: The Department publishes no information on the level of bicycle ownership for each county and parliamentary constituency.

The National Travel Survey has information on the level of bicycle ownership in Great Britain as a whole. On average across 2010, 2011 and 2012, around 44% of people aged five and over owned, or had use of, a bicycle.

Biofuels

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which European Council member states the UK has made representations in support of the Government’s stated preference for a 5% cap on EU biofuels ahead of the European Council negotiations on 16 October 2013. [170647]

Mr Goodwill: The Government have made clear to the European Commission, the European Parliament and all other member states in the European Council that we support the 5% cap.

Bus Services: Rural Areas

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rural bus services in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK have been (i) reduced and (ii) removed in each of the last five years. [170562]

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold these data, as decisions about the provision of local bus services are a matter for bus operators and local authorities who are best placed to identify the transport needs in their areas.

Nevertheless, the Government recognise that buses are a lifeline for many people in rural areas—providing access to jobs, schools, health care and social activities. That is why we have protected the Department's funding

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for local bus services during the recent spending review. Moreover, our reforms to date of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), which devolve the funding to local authorities in respect of the services they choose to support, will give those authorities more say over how that funding is prioritised.

We have continued to invest in local bus infrastructure and technology through the Better Bus Area Fund, the Green Bus Fund and the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. And we have also recognised the importance of community transport in rural areas with £20 million of additional funding.

Carbon Emissions

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on the Government Carbon Offsetting Framework in the latest year for which figures are available. [169860]

Stephen Hammond: The Department purchased carbon credits to the value of £6,209.26 through the Government Carbon Offsetting Facility (GCOF II) in 2012.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received from (a) Thurrock Council and (b) Thurrock Labour Party requesting free tolls for Thurrock residents using the Dartford Crossing. [170101]

Mr Goodwill: In order to answer this question, records covering the 2011 consultation on charges at the Dartford Crossing, the 2012 review of the Local Residents' Discount Scheme and Dart-Tag, and the 2013 consultation on additional capacity were used.

(a) Representations from Thurrock council

One representation has been received.

As part of the review of the Local Residents' Discount Scheme, DFT was advised that the leader of Thurrock council thought that the crossing should be free to local residents.

On the 2013 consultation on options for an additional crossing, Thurrock council stated that:

“free use of (the) crossing to Thurrock residents and businesses”

as a requirement for all three potential locations. However, it is not clear if this relates to the current as well as any new crossing.

Two representatives of Thurrock council responded to the 2011 consultation on changes to charges at Dartford. In response to the question:

“Do you agree that the residents scheme should remain unchanged”

they both responded:

“Yes”

with no further comments provided.

According to the records we have available, we have had no further correspondence or representations from Thurrock council regarding allowing local residents free usage.

(b) Representations from the Thurrock Labour party

We can locate no record of representations on this subject from the Thurrock Labour party.

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Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to reduce delays in the time taken for the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency to carry out and record vehicle disposal notifications. [169948]

Mr Goodwill: The normal turnaround time for processing disposal notifications was impacted by a peak of new registrations work during the summer period.

A number of measures have now been deployed to address this issue and vehicle disposal notifications are currently being processed within nine days of receipt at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the time taken for the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency to carry out and record vehicle disposal notifications. [169949]

Mr Goodwill: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency usually processes vehicle disposal notifications within five working days of receipt. The high volumes received over the summer meant notifications were taking up to 15 days to be processed, they are currently taking nine working days but the processing times are expected to return to normal within two weeks.

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to improve the efficiency of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency. [169950]

Mr Goodwill: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has committed to deliver £100 million efficiency savings in its annual operating costs by the end of 2014-15.

On 8 October, my predecessor my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon (Stephen Hammond) also announced that a review of the way in which the DVLA delivers services to its customers will take place over the next three months.

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency efficiency targets. [169951]

Mr Goodwill: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has committed to deliver £100 million efficiency savings in its annual operating costs by the end of the 2014-15 financial period. At the end of March 2013 £40.6 million savings had already been reported against this target.

East Coast Railway Line

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the contribution of open-access operators on the East Coast Main Line in support of the franchised operator. [169872]

Stephen Hammond: The impacts of open access operation have been assessed against three criteria: (a) performance; (b) network utilisation; and (c) revenue of the InterCity East Coast franchise.

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(a) Open access operators on the east coast route have typically delivered lower levels of performance than the franchised operator, in part because one of them operates relatively old diesel trains;

(b) Open access operation has had no material adverse impact on network utilisation, although the constraints on platform occupancy at Kings Cross, in particular, and Doncaster, to a lesser extent, have complicated operations at those two stations;

(c) Open access operators have generally tended to abstract revenue from the franchised operator. Furthermore, where bidders in the forthcoming InterCity East Coast franchise competition perceive a risk of additional open access competition causing further abstraction, they are likely to offer lower bids.

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the role of open access competition on the annual premium paid by the East Coast Main Line franchise. [169875]

Stephen Hammond: Although an assessment has been made of the impact on the annual premium paid by the East Coast operator, it is not intended to publish such figures in advance of the forthcoming competition for the Intercity East Coast franchise.

Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will consult the National Audit Office in advance on the value for money implications on the public finances of Government guarantees for the debt financing of the expansion of Heathrow airport. [169789]

Mr Goodwill: The Government have set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK's international hub connectivity. The Government expects, in line with its terms of reference, that the Airports Commission will take account of the public finances when making recommendations. The Commission's final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015.

High Speed 2

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department had with (a) the Council of Mortgage Lenders and (b) the National Federation of Estate Agents whilst devising the compensation proposals for those affected by Phase One of the High Speed 2 scheme. [170215]

Mr Goodwill: Both the Council of Mortgage Lenders and the National Association of Estate Agents meet as part of a multilateral group of interested organisations with HS2 and officials from the Department for Transport, where the emerging proposals were discussed.

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total length in kilometres of the HS2/HS1 link is (a) tunnelled and (b) above ground. [170521]

Mr Goodwill: The HS1-HS2 Link runs on the surface for 2.2 km from HS1 to Primrose Hill where it enters a 6.3 km long tunnel which ends at Old Oak Common.

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Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) fastest and (b) average journey time (i) is and (ii) will be after completion of High Speed 2 between London and (A) Sandwell and Dudley and (B) Wolverhampton; and if he will make a statement. [170558]

Mr Goodwill: The exact timetable, stopping patterns and services which will operate from the completion of HS2 phase 1 have not yet been determined. It is not realistic to set a timetable this far ahead. However, there is no reason to believe that direct train service times from London to these destinations will be adversely affected. In addition, new services may enable passengers also to have faster journeys to these destinations by using HS2 services and changing as necessary.

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has commissioned KPMG to make an assessment of the regional economic effects of alternatives to High Speed 2. [170575]

Mr Goodwill: The Department did not commission KPMG to analyse the regional economic impacts of HS2, nor has it commissioned KPMG to assess the regional economic effects of an alternative to HS2.

HS2 Ltd commissioned KPMG to analyse the potential scale, range and distribution of regional economic impacts brought about by HS2. The report ‘HS2 Regional Economic Impacts’ was published on 11 September.

High Speed 2

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the (a) advertisement, (b) schedule of the placement of the advertisement, (c) detail of the interview process, (d) members of the interview panel and (e) all the applicants for the newly appointed chairman of High Speed 2. [169821]

Mr Goodwill: The lengthy process of running a formal recruitment campaign would have risked not having a new chairman in post when Doug Oakervee steps down. The appointment of Sir David reflects the importance of ensuring a smooth and swift transition as HS2 enters its next crucial phase with the deposit of the Hybrid Bill which will deliver parliamentary approval for the first phase of the line between London and Birmingham. The appointment of Sir David is absolutely the right move for a project which is so vital to our economic success and Sir David has an excellent track record of delivery.

The code of practice for the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments provides that in exceptional circumstances, a Department may depart from the processes set out in that code. Sir David Normington, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, agreed that this was such a case and agreed the appointment without a competition to ensure a smooth and swift transition to the role.

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place (a) a copy of the contract for Sir David Higgins, the newly-appointed Chairman of HS2 Ltd, and (b) details of his remuneration and pension package in the Library. [169822]

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Mr Goodwill: In line with normal practice we will make public the remuneration package of Sir David Higgins. We have no plans to place his contract in the Library of the House.

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish financial details of the severance agreement with the outgoing Chairman of HS2 Ltd. [169823]

Mr Goodwill: Doug Oakervee has given notice of his intention to leave HS2 Ltd as provided for in his contract. No severance agreement applies.

Legal Costs

Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2013, Official Report, column 718W, on legal costs (1) if he will provide a breakdown of the sum of £3,049,096 spent on external legal advice by case or project; [169703]

(2) if he will provide a breakdown of the sum of £11,982,668 spent on external legal advice by case or project. [169704]

Stephen Hammond: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The figures provided in the previous answer were obtained from summary information held within the Department's central procurement records, which contain information on the total spend on external legal services by vendor for the central Department and its agencies.

The information requested is held locally within the finance records of individual policy teams, within (a) the agencies and (b) the central Department, where those teams have delegated responsibility for managing their budgets, including accountability for expenditure on external legal advice. To extract the information requested from central finance or local records would incur disproportionate costs in terms of the time required.

Motor Vehicles: Lighting

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a review of the safety of rear fog lights and their effect on the visibility of brake lights. [169543]

Mr Goodwill: There are no plans to undertake a review of the effect of fog lamps on the visibility of brake lamps. Since October 2000, all new passenger cars have been fitted with a third centrally high mounted brake lamp which has the benefit of separating the stop lamp and fog lamp illumination and alert following drivers to a slowing vehicle.

Performance Appraisal

Mrs Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2012-13. [170461]

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Stephen Hammond: Information on the performance marks awarded for 2012-13 are provided in the following tables. The figures in the table for disabled staff are

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based on self-declaration rates. Where figures in any category are less than five they are not included to protect privacy.

The following tables are for staff in grades below the senior civil service.

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DVLA's performance management process is based on performance against set objectives, each objective is allocated a number of points weighted according the importance and priority of each objective (up to a total of 100).

At the end of the year, each objective is scored out of the number of points allocated to it as a weighting. For example, if an objective has been allocated 20 points, it will be scored out of 20. The maximum score that can be achieved is 120.

Railways

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the future role of open access rail operators. [170386]

Stephen Hammond: The Government's policy on open access rail passenger operation is unchanged from that outlined in the Command Paper, ‘Reforming our Railways’, published in March 2012:

“Government values the benefits of competition that open access can bring, such as greater choice and lower fares for some passengers. However, these benefits must be set against the need to reduce the overall cost of the railway to taxpayers. Open access operators are only charged marginal track access costs compared to franchised service operators who are charged full track access charges. This means that open access operators are effectively being subsidised by passengers on franchised services which are paying full track access charges to support the maintenance and operation of the network. Furthermore, where franchise bidders perceive a risk of open access competition undercutting them on costs they are likely to offer much lower bids. This detrimentally impacts on the taxpayer's interest by putting further pressure on fares and making it harder to deliver the rail upgrades that passengers want. Given the UK's financial position, Government does not therefore at this stage support an increase in open access competition.”

The Office of Rail Regulation is currently consulting the industry on options for the future charging structure for Open Access operators, and we await the outcome of its findings.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish (a) the Code of Practice on ticketing information and (b) the Rail Franchising Overview. [170693]

Stephen Hammond: The Code of Practice on ticketing information will be developed over the next 12 months and will be overseen by the Office of Rail Regulation. Passenger representative groups including Passenger Focus and London Travel Watch, and ticket retailers including train companies, will work with the Office of Rail Regulation to develop and agree its content.

We intend to publish the Rail Franchising Overview by the end of 2013.

Railways: Competition

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to increase competition across rail markets and lower barriers to open access rail competition on (a) the West Coast Main Line and (b) other rail lines; [169871]

(2) what his policy is on increasing the ability of open access operators to make a greater contribution to the UK's railways; [169873]

(3) if he will take steps to promote open access across the rail market; [169876]

(4) what steps his Department is taking to better underpin (a) new entrants to the UK's railways and (b) open access operators. [169877]

Stephen Hammond: The Government's policy on open access rail passenger operation is unchanged from that outlined in the Command Paper, “Reforming our Railways”, published in March 2012:

“Government values the benefits of competition that open access can bring, such as greater choice and lower fares for some passengers. However, these benefits must be set against the need to reduce the overall cost of the railway to taxpayers. Open access operators are only charged marginal track access costs compared to franchised service operators who are charged full track access charges. This means that open access operators are effectively being subsidised by passengers on franchised services which are paying full track access charges to support the maintenance and operation of the network. Furthermore, where franchise bidders perceive a risk of open access competition undercutting them on costs they are likely to offer much lower bids. This detrimentally impacts on the taxpayer's interest by putting further pressure on fares and making it harder to deliver the rail upgrades that passengers want. Given the UK's financial position, Government does not therefore at this stage support an increase in open access competition.”

The Office of Rail Regulation is currently consulting the industry on options for the future charging structure for open access operators, and we await the outcome of its findings.

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to boost capacity utilisation on the (a) East Coast Main Line and (b) West Coast Main Line to allow more services to exist which may compete with the franchised operator. [169874]

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Stephen Hammond: Network capacity on both the East and West Coast Main Lines is virtually exhausted:

(a) Infrastructure enhancements being undertaken or planned in CP4 and CP5 will create some additional capacity on ECML, but the Government has already committed to the procurement of InterCity Express Trains (IEP) to exploit this capacity.

(b) On WCML, while some off-peak network capacity is unused at present, it is likely that there will be no spare capacity at Euston station once construction of HS2 commences.

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to identify the benefits of a potential market of open access and other diverse rail providers; and what assessment he has made of the role of such providers to cost reduction and improved performance on the railways. [169878]

Stephen Hammond: Open access operators are effectively being subsidised by passengers on services run by franchised operators as explained in my earlier answer today (UIN 169873). Open access operators on the East Coast route have typically delivered lower levels of performance than the franchised operator, in part because they operate relatively old diesel trains. Other diverse rail providers, particularly in the fields of rolling stock maintenance and refurbishment, have contributed significantly to cost reduction and improved performance.

Railways: Tickets

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the operator selected for the planned flexible ticket trial will receive any additional financial support from the Government; and, if so, what funds have been set aside for this purpose. [170694]

Stephen Hammond: The operator to undertake this trial will be selected on the basis of a competitive request for proposals process. The trial intends to pilot discounted ticket types which will have an impact on the revenue of the selected train operating company. The Department is therefore funding the trial to cover both these and relevant administrative and system costs. As this will be a competitive process in order to secure the best value for money, it would not be appropriate to detail costs at this time.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether future bidders for rail franchises will be required to invest in new ticketing machines. [170695]

Stephen Hammond: Our new franchising approach places emphasis on improved customer experience and contains the explicit treatment of non-financial factors (quality) in assessing and awarding new franchises. In the fares and ticketing review, published 9 October, we stated that, although we will not expect to specify in detail how train companies should upgrade their ticket machines, we want them to have the flexibility to tailor their ticketing package to local needs and drive continuous improvement in customer service. Other measures in the review such as the code of practice on ticketing information, and improvements to the way we manage ticket office changes, will also encourage operators to consider investment in this area.

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Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which computer systems will be retired as a result of the plans set out in the Fares and Ticketing Review; and whether the Government will be making any contribution to the new ticketing software. [170696]

Stephen Hammond: The plans set out in the Fares and Ticketing Review do not include any technical specifications or require the retirement of any specific computer systems. However, the rail industry already has voluntary plans in place to replace its current fares system in late 2014.

Redundancy

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff were made redundant from non-departmental public bodies accountable to his Department in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and how many redundancy payments were made in lieu of notice. [170357]

Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), has made the following redundancies and redundancy payments in lieu of notice from non-departmental public bodies accountable to his Department.

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department were made redundant in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and how many such staff received payments in lieu of notice. [170376]

Stephen Hammond: The number of staff who left the Department for Transport under redundancy arrangements in each of the last three financial years, together with the number who received pay in lieu of notice is set out in the following table. Where numbers are five or less, we have withheld the precise number on grounds of confidentiality.

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The reform to the compensation scheme in 2010 led to three categories of ‘redundancy’, voluntary exit, voluntary redundancy and compulsory redundancy. All three categories have been included in the answer.

Rescue Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment (a) his Department and (b) senior Maritime and Coastguard Agency staff made of the effect of the closure of Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centres on (i) public safety, (ii) the time taken to respond to incidents and (iii) staff. [170164]

Stephen Hammond: The closure of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) has no impact on safety or the time taken to respond to incidents.

The closure of MRCCs, as part of the already announced Coastguard modernisation programme, has only occurred where we have been satisfied that all relevant information and services have been effectively transferred to other Coordination Centres. Changes to Coordination Centre responsibilities do not affect the location or availability of front line Search and Rescue assets and the seamless transfer of tasking and call out procedure means there has been no adverse impact on public safety or time to respond to incidents as a result of these closures.

Staff at centres that have closed have been given the opportunity to transfer elsewhere in the Coastguard service. This has resulted in those Coordination Centres that are taking on additional responsibilities receiving additional staff with experience of the new operational

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area. Where necessary we have continued recruitment campaigns to ensure required staff numbers can be sustained.

Mutual support is also available to all MRCCs from at least one other MRCC during peak times through long standing ‘pairing’ arrangements.

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that no further Maritime Rescue and Co-ordination centres will be downgraded to become operational throughout daylight hours only. [170170]

Stephen Hammond: My predecessor announced on 22 November 2011 that the modernisation programme to implement the new HM Coastguard structure would be driven by prevailing operational requirements and would therefore be subject to ongoing review.

If a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), planned to close as part of the modernisation programme, encounters significant staff retention issues, it may be sensible to consider daytime-only or variable hours operating until its operations are transferred into the future coastguard structure. The vast majority of incidents managed by the coastguard take place in daylight hours and effective mechanisms already exist for transferring responsibilities to other centres if at any time an MRCC is closed.

I would look at any such cases on an individual basis in the light of the operational factors at the time and against the background of the need to ensure the safety of mariners and the general public at all times.

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what operational testing of the Future Coastguard programme his Department and senior Maritime and Coastguard Agency staff have undertaken. [170171]

Stephen Hammond: Prior to the announcement by my predecessor on 22 November 2011 of the modernised HM Coastguard structure the new Concept of Operations had been validated by two separate 'desktop' tests conducted by senior coastguard managers, operational coastguards and trade union representatives.

Detailed incident analysis and workload distribution models have also been developed. These will be used to assess the staffing levels required and the distribution of work within the new national network.

Operational and Acceptance Testing at the new National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) has commenced with acceptance testing of the new emergency response systems. An extended period of operational testing will then take place prior to the NMOC becoming fully operational in September 2014.

Roads: Lighting

Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment his Department has made of whether LED street lighting systems are cheaper to run and maintain than the current system of pressured sodium street lighting, and of whether the capital investment needed to convert current street lighting to LED systems on a significant scale can be justified by a reasonable timeframe required to recover such costs; [169577]

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(2) if he will make an assessment of the consequences of using LED street lighting in residential areas and the effects of white light upon melatonin secretion and sleeping patterns; and if he will make an assessment of the (a) short and (b) long-term health and behavioural impacts which may subsequently arise from the artificial disruption of these normal conditions. [169578]

Mr Goodwill: The majority of street lighting in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities and it is for them to decide what level of service they wish their street lighting network to deliver, what level of funding is required, and what technical specifications to apply.

While no assessment has been undertaken by the Department for Transport on the use of LED lighting, a number of trials and reviews have been undertaken by local authorities and other organisations. Results from these suggest LED lighting can be more energy efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional lighting and also gives rise to better colour identification. As LEDs have a longer life expectancy when compared to a traditional lamp, implementing such a change in street lighting can result in both energy and maintenance savings for councils. However, any benefits need to be considered in the context of the role that street lighting plays in each local area that it serves.

The Government are not aware of any robust research addressing community melatonin status and sleeping patterns in relation to changes in street lighting technology. There is, however, good experimental evidence that whiter light, as from LED street lighting, is more effective in suppressing melatonin production than the red/orange light from traditional street lighting. Such an effect may be helpful in keeping drivers alert and preventing accidents. Recognising that people will generally be able to use curtains or blinds to exclude externally arising light from their homes, Public Health England do not see changes in outdoor lighting technology as a significant public health issue.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to prevent a significant increase in the number of potholes that are created each winter on Britain’s road network. [170109]

Mr Goodwill: The Department for Transport is providing more than £18 billion for highway maintenance for both the strategic and local road network between 2011 and 2021. This funding will help address the issue of potholes, which we know can cause problems for all highway users.

In addition, the Government also recognise the need for improved highways maintenance over the longer-term and has taken action. In April 2011, the Department for Transport announced a £6 million programme for highways maintenance efficiency to look at longer-term maintenance strategies. This programme is providing practical and adaptable efficiency solutions, for authorities to make informed local investment decisions to support their local community and economy. As part of the programme, an initiative was announced to help assist local authorities

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deal with potholes on the local highway network. A final report and a follow-up document are both available for download from the following web address:

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/pothole-review/pothole-review.pdf

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that the road networks are prepared for heavy snowfall this winter. [170141]

Mr Goodwill: The Department for Transport continues to liaise with local and national partners to improve winter resilience, so that this country enters the forthcoming winter season well prepared. This includes having a national strategic salt reserve of 425,000 tonnes, working closely with local highway authorities to monitor salt stocks and raising awareness of guidance to enable them to make the best use of their salt supplies. We have also written to local highway authorities highlighting the importance of being prepared for severe winter weather including ensuring that they have robust winter service plans in place and the importance of communicating their plans to local residents and businesses.

In terms of the strategic road network, the Highways Agency has available a fleet of more than 500 winter vehicles for treating motorways and major ‘A’ roads around the clock to help keep the strategic network open under all but the most extreme of circumstances.

The Highways Agency is also finalising its preparations for this year’s winter driving campaign, “Make time for winter”. This year, the messages will place even greater emphasis on safety and the importance of good vehicle maintenance, with a focus on drivers taking more responsibility for their own actions.

In addition, winter planning is ongoing more widely across government. Officials from UK Government Departments, the devolved Administrations and the Local Government Association are due to meet shortly to review winter preparation plans and to discuss cross-cutting issues.

Roads: South West

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the planned feasibility study of improvements for the A303/A30/A358 corridor will consider these routes as one whole corridor in which the A358 and A30 elements meet different but complementary growth and resilience needs of strategic importance to the South West. [170221]

Mr Goodwill: The Government have committed to tackle some of the most notorious and long-standing road hot spots in the country. The Department will identify and fund solutions, initially through feasibility studies to look at problems and identify potential schemes at a number of locations, including the A303 corridor.

The Department is in the process of developing the detailed scope of each study, and through a process of engagement with stakeholders is aiming to finalise the timing, aims and scope of the A303 study by the end of 2013.

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Shipping: Safety

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to extend section 80 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 to prohibit non-professional mariners from drinking alcohol while in charge of a vessel. [170615]

Stephen Hammond: The Department recommends strongly that leisure mariners avoid alcohol consumption when engaging in their activity.

We are working with the Royal Yachting Association and other partners to educate leisure mariners about the risks that alcohol consumption presents, as an effective and targeted alternative to legislation.

Shipping: Training

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that his Department collates information on the number of available training roles for UK ratings in the previous year for inclusion in the annual Seafarer Statistics publication. [169887]

Stephen Hammond: No arrangements are currently in place for the central collection or collation of information about the number of available seafarer rating training roles.

I can confirm that I do not intend to introduce such arrangements as a matter of policy in the future.

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the increase in annual funding announced for the Support for Maritime Training scheme will be spent on (a) officer cadet and (b) ratings training; and how many new trainee (i) officer and (ii) ratings places will be created each year as a result. [169888]

Stephen Hammond: I anticipate that the increase in funding for Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) will be spent on officer cadet training and will fund between an additional 200 to 220 officer trainees. No proportion of the increased funding will be allocated to ratings training and no new ratings places will therefore be created.