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Air Misses
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many air misses took place in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years; and how many fatalities resulted from air traffic control errors in the last 10 years in the United Kingdom. [23580]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Civil Aviation Authority, who are responsible for air space management in the United Kingdom, have supplied figures for Risk-Bearing Airprox incidents which are given in the table below. There were no fatalities resulting from air traffic control errors in the last 10 years in the United Kingdom.
| Year | Risk-Bearing Airprox (P) | Risk-Bearing Airprox (C) |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 65 | -- |
| 1988 | 81 | -- |
| 1989 | 71 | -- |
| 1990 | 69 | -- |
| 1991 | 61 | 25 |
| 1992 | 49 | 24 |
| 1993 | 69 | 21 |
| 1994 | 64 | 20 |
| 1995 | 48 | 30 |
| 1996 | 59 | -- |
1. A Risk-Bearing Airprox incident is one categorised as A (real risk of collision), B (possible risk of collision) or C (slight risk of collision).
2. 1997 figures have not yet been verified as to whether they are Risk-Bearing.
3. Airprox (P) are incidents reported by pilots, Airprox (C) are incidents reported by air traffic controllers.
4. Airprox (C) data have been collected only since 1991.
Car Driving Test Failures
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the percentage of failures in car driving tests in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997; and in what proportion a reason for failure was that driving was too slow. [23508]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The percentage of failures in car driving tests in 1996 was 56 per cent. Figures for 1997 are available only from the period January to June because of problems with the computer system collating test data at the Driving Standards Agency. During that period the failure rate was 53 per cent. The Agency hopes to have rectified the problems relating to the IT systems in the near future.
Statistics showing what proportion of failures was caused by driving too slow are not currently available. The Agency is developing management information systems that will allow comprehensive analyses to be undertaken of faults committed by candidates. It is hoped that this facility will be operational from early next month.
Rail Services (Penalty Fares)
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list for each of the train operating companies serving Greater London (a) the number of penalty fares issued and (b) the income generated by penalty fares since the companies began operating; [23656]
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Ms Glenda Jackson:
This information is not held centrally. Information supplied by or on behalf of Train Operating Companies is set out in the table. This shows the number of penalty fares issued by the Train Operating Companies serving greater London, the number of appeals received and the proportion of these that were successful.
(2) if he will list for each of the train operating companies serving Greater London the number of appeals against penalty fares and the proportion of these that were successful for each year since the companies began operating. [23657]
| Company | Penalty fares issued 1996-97 | Appeals received | Total appeals successful per cent. |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTS Rail | 9,330 | 745 | 57 |
| Great Eastern Railway | 43,717 | 5,083 | 53 |
| Connex South Central | 42,789 | 2.317 | 59 |
| Connex South Eastern | 100,031 | 11,203 | 63 |
| Silverlink Train Services(13) | 10,031 | 1,113 | 61 |
| South West Trains | 49,227 | 4,160 | 47 |
| Thameslink | 20,855 | 1,007 | 81 |
| Thames Trains | 23,979 | 1,967 | 65 |
| Chiltern Railway | 4,475 | 344 | 62 |
| West Anglia and Great Northern | 50,000 | 2,660 | 20 |
(13) Denotes a company which no longer applies penalty fares.
Figures for income generated by penalty fares since the companies have been operating are unavailable. The primary purpose of penalty fares is not to generate income but to address the problem of ticketless travel. I understand that in 1990 the ticketless travel rate was four per cent. The implementation of penalty fares has, for most companies, driven down ticketless travel to 1.5 per cent. or less.
Roadside Trees
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review circular 52/75 regarding inspection of trees. [23297]
Ms Glenda Jackson: Circular Roads 52/75 will be withdrawn upon the issue of new and revised advice in the Trunk Road Maintenance Manual. These revisions are planned for publication later this year.
The manual is provided to the managing agents for the trunk road network in England under the direction of the Highways Agency. The requirements for the inspection of trees are set out in volume 2, part 1, chapter 11 and are broadly similar to the advice given in the Circular 52/75.
Mr. Hanson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have (a) died and (b) been injured as a result of falling roadside trees in each of the last five years. [23296]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Statistical Branch of DETR produces a number of annual publications which incorporate a wide variety of accident data, but because of the inevitable limit on the number of categorisations of accidents, no separate statistics are maintained on injury accidents resulting from falling trees. There are no
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immediate plans to identify this data but this will be reconsidered when an overall review is undertaken within the next five years.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on those very exceptional circumstances referred to in Point 10, Annexe III, of EC Directive 91/439/EEC wherein insulin-dependent drivers might be granted licences to drive minibuses and transit vans. [23355]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The relevant provision in the Directive, relating to the driving of vehicles in group 2 (lorries over 3.5 tonnes and vehicles with more than eight passenger seats), says that
The advice of the Secretary of State's Honorary Advisory Panel on Diabetes and Driving is that there are, in their judgment, no exceptional cases which medical opinion would recognise as being lower risk than others. The Panel have recently confirmed their considered view that granting licences to drive Group 2 vehicles to those who are insulin-treated is not in the interests of road safety.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had, and with which bodies, on the protection of hedgerows in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [23288]
Angela Eagle:
The official group set up to review the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 comprises representatives from a wide range of interests, including statutory agencies, local authorities and the main farming and conservation bodies.
The protection of hedgerows in England and Wales is raised from time to time in Ministerial discussions with these and other interested groups.
I will write to my hon. Friend with a full list of the review group's membership.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the water regulator; [23696]
Mr. Meacher:
My overall assessment of OFWAT is that they do a good job within the existing framework of regulation. The Government are currently undertaking a review of the regulation of the utility industries with the objective of setting a long-term stable framework for utility regulation which is seen as fair by all the interest groups involved, particularly by consumers. Among other issues, the review has been considering whether any
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legislative changes are required to meet this objective. Our proposals will be published in a Green Paper in due course.
Mr. Alan Johnson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1997, Official Report, columns 151-52, concerning the 13 reports received on the possible location of the wreck of the Gaul, what were the dates of each report; and if he will publish the reports in full. [23947]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Dates are recorded on existing files only for the following reports of the possible location of the Gaul:
"only in very exceptional cases may driving licences be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers in this group suffering from diabetes mellitus and requiring insulin treatment, and then only where duly justified by authorised medical opinion and subject to regular medical check-ups."
(2) if he will take steps to strengthen the regulatory powers of OFWAT. [23698]
Poseidon: 21 May 1974
HMS Rhyl: 22 May 1974
Lord Nelson: 31 May 1974
Rairo: 15 November 1975
Marbella: 2 March 1977
Ella Hewitt: 19 September 1997.
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