HC Deb 23 July 2004 vol 424 c804W
Mr. Kidney

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many road vehicles are operated by the Department and its agencies; how many personal injury accidents involving road vehicles operated by the Department have occurred within each of the last five years; and what the Department's policy is for managing work-related road safety. [185915]

Alun Michael

Details relating to vehicles provided to Ministers by the Government Car Dispatch Agency will be covered by the Minister for the Cabinet Office. A separate response will be provided by Cabinet Office.

Defra and its agencies currently have some 611 road vehicles including cars, 4x4s, vans and lorries.

The number of personal injury accidents, reported officially via accident reporting arrangements, involving road vehicles operated by the department, (including all Agencies) occurring within each of the last five years is as follow:

  • 1999–18
  • 2000–10
  • 2001–23
  • 2002–15
  • 2003–19

It should be noted that these figures relate to all road traffic accidents on official business, whether in fleet, hire or private vehicles. Fleet data on its own can only be extracted manually and would thereby incur disproportionate costs.

The core department has a policy to assist with the management of work-related road safety and encouragement of safe driving. The policy is based on risk and consists of a generic risk assessment and guidance documentation. Defra Agencies have equivalent policies in compliance with the Defra Safety Policy.