§ Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the nationalised industries, nongovernmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsiblity or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department, which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.
§ Mr. Ridley:The nationalised industries sponsored by my Department are British Airways, British Rail, the British Airports Authority, the National Bus Company, London Regional Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority. They operate to financial targets which take account of their particular circumstances, revenue potential, internal resources and, where appropriate, subsidies. In addition, there are a number of harbour authorities which have received loans from the 561W Consolidated Fund, but for whose fees and charges I have no direct responsibility. The Mersey Harbour Authority and the Port of London Authority also receive grant support.
Other non-governmental organisations and agencies sponsored by, or receiving funds from, my Department are:
(a) No charge made
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
- National Advisory Unit for community Transport
- Air Travel Reserve Fund Agency
- World Maritime University
- Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites
- Advisory Committee on the Landscape Treatment of Trunk Roads
- Standing Advisory Committee on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Ships
- Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment
- Honorary Medical Advisory Panel for Driving and Disorders of the Nervous System
- Panel of Advisers on Disability
(b) Charges did not fully cover costs in 1983–84
- Commonwealth Air Transport Council
- North Atlantic Air Navigation Service
(c) Charges fully recovered costs in 1983–84
- General Lighthouse Authorities
- Pilotage Commission
- Euro-control Air Navigation Services
- Red Sea Lights Company Ltd
(d) Charges more than covered costs in 1983–84
Airport Air Traffic Services
The costs of certain other bodies sponsored by the Department, the Transport Tribunal and the traffic commissioners and licensng authorities, are recovered through the fees of the appropriate departmental services.
Services provided to the general public or to private organisations by my Department which in the financial year 1983–84 cost more than £100,000 are:
(a) No charge made
- Weather/gale warnings to shipping
- Navigation warnings
- Marine search and rescue (HM Coastguard)
- Ship inspection and port state control
- Civil hydrography
- Marking of wrecks and disposal of war works
- Channel Navigation Information Service
- Publication of results of research at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory
- Provision and maintenance of trunk roads
- Maintenance of vehicle records
- Road safety guidance and publicity
- Control and routeing of abnormal indivisible loads
(b) Charges did not fully cover cost in 1983–84
- Fishing vessel surveys
- Marine pollution services
- Marine surveys*
- Examination and certification of seamen*†
- Public Service Vehicle type and initial fitness testing†
- Road service licences
- Public Service Vehicle driver licensing
- Heavy Goods Vehicle driver licensing
- Public Service Vehicle driver testing
- Motorcycle Part 1 rider testing and supervision of Approved Training Bodies
- Register of Approved Driving Instructors†
- Vehicle and component approvals*
- Severn Bridge tolled crossing
Note:
* Fees recovered more than 90 per cent. of the costs of these services in 1983–84;
† Adjustments to either fees or costs of these services since 1983–84 have been made to achieve full recovery.
562WCharges fully recovered costs in 1983–84
- Use of Transport and Road Research Laboratory test track by outside bodies
- Supply of highway, transport and traffic statistics
(d) Charges more than covered costs in 1983–84
- Heavy Goods Vehicle driver testing‡
- L-driver testing‡
- Goods vehicle operator licences
- Public Service Vehicle operator licences
- Heavy Goods Vehicle testing‡
- Public Service Vehicle testing‡
- Marine radio surveys‡
- Driver licences‡
- Fee paying vehicle licensing and registration transactions (enquiries, duplicates) ‡
- Transfer of cherished vehicle registration marks
- International road freight permits‡
Note:
‡ Charges for these services are set to recover full costs. Small surpluses in 1983–84 are due to variances from forecasts, or adjustments between years.