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Roads: Signs
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure that non-English-speaking road users can read road signs. [HL3377]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Traffic signs prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, already conform to international standards set in the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, and the subsequent 1971 European Agreement. These standards adopted a system of pictorial traffic signing, to maximise driver understanding across international boundaries.
We continue to develop pictorial signing solutions to specific problems as they arise; a recent example being a sign alerting drivers of unsuitable routes for heavy goods vehicles. Highway authorities may apply to the Department for Transport to use this non-prescribed sign where necessary.
Roads: Traffic Officers
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
What data are collected by Highways Agency traffic officers attending incidents; and what use is made of such data. [HL3295]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Highways Agency traffic officers attend a wide variety of incidents on the strategic road network and the data collected at each vary depending on the nature of the incident.
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The data collected by traffic officers include the time, date and location of the incident, its nature, the number and types of vehicles involved, the number of casualties, as well as information about any interventions used to restore the network to normality. For a number of pre-identified incident types the names and addresses of the drivers and the registration marks of the vehicles are also collected. The agency's policy is that all incident data are stored in a secure command and control environment and access to data is on a controlled and audited basis at all times.
The agency uses traffic officer data in a number of ways, of which the first is proactive incident management. Incident data are initially used to determine whether the incident is one which the agency will lead or hand over control to the police. The incident data are used to set network signs, distribute media travel reports, and when appropriate, to activate formalised network diversion routes. Incident data are also used to mobilise the correct incident responders and provide them with necessary non-personalised information to ensure they use appropriate resources to resolve the incident as effectively as possible.
Responding organisations include the emergency services, motoring organisations, recovery operators who assist stranded drivers or remove accident-damaged and broken down vehicles from the road, and other government agencies such as the Environment Agency.
Current Highways Agency policy is that personal information is passed to these organisations only if specifically required to manage the incident, with the knowledge of the persons involved where it is reasonable to do so, the only normal exceptions being those incidents involving injury or suspected criminality.
Another area where the agency uses traffic officer-generated incident data is post-incident analysis by which the agency improves its understanding of the causes and impact of incidents, and analyses the effectiveness of the interventions deployed to reduce their incidence, duration and impact. It is agency policy that all incident data used for analysis have personal data removed.
There are two further areas in which the agency commonly uses data gathered by the traffic officer service at the scene of incidents. The first is in supporting recovery of the cost of damage to the road from those responsible for an incident, as well as dealing with third party claims against the agency. The second area is the passing of information on suspected criminal offences to the police and other agencies of the Department for Transport responsible for road traffic law enforcement, and the provision of a statement or evidence when requested by the police or coroner's court. Invariably, these areas do require personalised data sets to be used. However, agency policy is in place to ensure that robust processes and procedures control the use, access and storage of this information used for these purposes.
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Rural Payments Agency
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why all payments by the Rural Payments Agency after 16 October 2008 will have to go directly into a claimant's bank account; which piece of European legislation requires this; and how many claimants do not presently have a bank account. [HL3408]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): EC Regulation No 885/2006 requires all payments funded under European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF), including those under the single payment scheme, to be made directly into bank accounts from 16 October 2008. This method provides faster payment to customers and is not disrupted by postal problems. In addition, it is more secure than payable orders thus helping to prevent fraud and providing better protection for UK and EU taxpayers.
RPA is not aware how many of its claimants do not presently have a bank account but identified 39,126 potentially active claimants for whom it does not currently have bank account details. Those claimants are being asked to provide those details to the agency and I would encourage all farmers to respond as soon as possible.
Taxation: Compensation Payments
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What forms of notification they intend to employ to inform members of the public of their entitlement to the low tax rate abolition replacement compensation payments falling due in the 2008—09 tax year. [HL3269]
Lord Davies of Oldham: In his letter to the chairman of the House of Commons Treasury Committee on 23 April, the Chancellor said that a report will be published in time for the Pre-Budget Report, and that he will report back to the House in the Pre-Budget Report.
Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidance they give to overseas truck drivers regarding United Kingdom road traffic regulations. [HL3376]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Many road traffic regulations are common across the EU and in particular the rules on driver hours and roadworthiness standards.
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The primary means of conveying the conditions of road traffic regulations to all road users is through traffic signing. Traffic signs are subject to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, which are, in turn, derived from international standards set in the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, and the subsequent 1971 European Agreement. These standards form the basis for international traffic sign design to maximise driver understanding across international boundaries.
However, the onus is on individual drivers to familiarise themselves with the road traffic law of the member state in which they are driving. And in the UK general information for motorists including the Highway Code is available on the “direct gov” website at www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/index.htm.
Waste Management: Brofiscin Quarry
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Where are the 34-page original witness statement and accompanying original documents connected with the investigation into Brofiscin Quarry, including originals of (a) a Freshfields memorandum dated February 1972, (b) the final report dated 12 October 1972 covering investigations at Brofiscin between March 1968 and August 1972, (c) an affidavit dated and sworn on 8 December 1972 and lodged in Cardiff Crown Court in December 1972, and (d) a copy of a letter from Dr Papageorge of Monsanto dated 8 July 1970, prepared and signed by Mr Douglas Gowan on 4 August 2006, receipt of which was acknowledged by Mr Hillier of the Environment Agency Wales. [HL3261]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that the original 34-page witness statement and any accompanying original documents received by the Environment Agency from Mr Gowan were returned to him on the 13 December 2007.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which original documents were returned to Mr Douglas Gowan by Brabners Chaffe Street on 13 December 2007, as stated by the Environment Agency Wales. [HL3262]
Lord Rooker: I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that all original documents received by the Environment Agency from Mr Gowan have been returned to him.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 10 March (WA 217), whether any copies of original documentation supplied by Mr Douglas Gowan were seen by Lovells. [HL3263]
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Lord Rooker: I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that the Environment Agency has provided Lovells with all relevant information required to carry out its instructions.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Rooker on 11 December 2007 (WA 49), 27 March (WA 124), 31 March (WA 141—2), 2 April (WA 183—4 and 186—8) and 22 April (WA 295) and by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 17 December 2007 (WA 109), upon what basis the Environment Agency or the Environment Agency Wales could pursue Monsanto for the costs of remediation of Brofiscin Quarry and other landfill sites in the United Kingdom. [HL3264]
Lord Rooker: I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that when looking at securing remediation or recovering the cost of remediation at
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Young Offenders
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
What reviews are being carried out by the Youth Justice Board into the strip searching of juveniles in custody. [HL3237]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Youth Justice Board plans to review practices surrounding full searches and is currently scoping the review, which is likely to include all secure establishments accommodating young people under 18 and contractors escorting them to and from court.
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