§ Mr. BellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how international freight transport statistics into and out of the United Kingdom will be collected after the elimination of custom checks following the completion of the single market.
§ Mr. ChopeStatistics on international road transport in United Kingdom powered vehicles will continue to be prepared, to meet EC directive 78/546, by means of the Department's "international road haulage survey" of United Kingdom hauliers; the contribution from other EC vehicles will also be available, from data collected by the country in which the vehicles are registered, to meet the same directive. International freight traffic statistics by rail will also continue to be available to meet EC directive 80/1177.
Information adequate for government use on the contribution made by unaccompanied trailers will be 335W available from the Department's annual port traffic returns, completed by harbour authorities. This source also provides information on transport by sea of containers and non-unitised traffic.
Information on international freight transport with non-EC countries will still be available from Customs sources after 1992.
§ Mr. Barry PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the quality of transport statistics provided to the European Commission by his Department.
§ Mr. ChopeThe Department is responsible for supplying a variety of statistics to the European Commission, directly and through the Statistical Office. The one area where I have not been satisfied with the quality of statistics supplied relates to international road haulage by United Kingdom hauliers. The survey concerned has now been made statutory and I am confident that these statistics will be of good quality in the future.