HC Deb 12 March 1992 vol 205 cc668-9W
Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate for 1990 the number of passengers(a) killed, (b) seriously injured or (c) less seriously injured on (1) British Rail and (2) buses and coaches.

Mr. McLoughlin

The information requested is given in the table. Information on railway passenger accidents is contained in the annual report on railway safety, copies of which are in the House Library. There are no separate figures for British Rail as the statistics for injuries relate to all railways.

Mr. McLoughlin

Thirty-five per cent. of public service vehicles, which account for the great majority of buses and coaches, failed the public service vehicle roadworthiness test in 1990–91.

Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total fuel duty rebate available to buses and coaches for the fiscal year 1991–92; by how much this has changed in percentage terms since 1986–87; and how this subsidy is communicated in his Department's statistics.

Mr. McLoughlin

The forecast outturn for fuel duty rebate on local bus services in 1991–92 is £200 million, 55 per cent. higher than the outturn in 1986–87, reflecting increases in both mileage operated and the rate of duty. Figures for the rebate are given in "The Government's Expenditure Plans for Transport 1992–93 to 1994–95" (Cm. 1907) and in the statistical pubications "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1991" and "Bus and Coach Statistics Great Britain 1990– 91".

Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in the allocation of resources for measures to promote bus use in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

Mr. Freeman

I am pleased to announce the allocation of £200,000 of supplementary credit approvals in 1992–93 for bus priority measures in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Further allocations will be considered in 1993–94.