To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much it cost to conduct the review of the management of ports in local authority ownership in England and Wales. (82216)

This review was carried out over two years using in-house resources. Exact figures are unavailable, however it is estimated to have cost in the region of £70,000. This includes publication costs. The manpower element of this, £56,332, covers all municipal ports issues not just the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been budgeted for the cost of the ports policy review. (82217)

The total expenditure to date on the ports policy review has been £200,000 on two consultants' studies contributing to the evidence base; £203,000 internal staff costs and £19,000 launch costs. A further £150,000 has been budgeted for in-house costs for the completion of the exercise, with £90,000 provision for external costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many checks at ports on commercial vehicles were carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in each region of the UK in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06; how many infringements were found; how many vehicles were prohibited for overloading; and what other infringements were recorded. (82024)

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is not able to supply detailed statistics on the exact number of checks carried out in or around individual ports. The majority of enforcement is carried out by intercepting traffic on arterial roads leading to or from a port.

Details of the number of vehicle checks carried out in 2004-05 and the number of vehicles prohibited is published in VOSA’s Effectiveness Report which is available in the Libraries of the House. The 2005-06 report is to be published shortly.