As more UK residents show interest in their carbon footprint it’s worth noting that 25 per cent of households in England last year did not have regular use of a car. However, 33 per cent of households had access to two or more cars.
Last week the Deputy Prime Minister pulled off a smooth, traffic-related manoeuvre. Asked to list the occasions when he’d used rail, the Underground, trams or buses in connection with his ministerial duties, he replied: “I frequently travel by public transport when undertaking my ministerial duties.” Some list.
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Still on traffic, of sorts. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not use an “internal traffic light” or colour-coded system for parliamentary questions submitted for written answer.
If you’re a pensioner aged 77 or older and planning a trip abroad, you’re entitled to a free passport. To September 30, the Identity and Passport Service had processed 376,668 free passports for UK residents born on or before September 2, 1929.
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In 2005-06, 5,929 pilot’s licences were issued, 3,277 of which were private pilot’s licences. This may seem a lot, but in 1991-92 there were 4,804 private licences in a total of 6,787 awarded.
School pupils who enjoy mucking about with Bunsen burners, pipettes and the like will be pleased to hear that capital investment in schools in 2006-07 will be £5.9 billion and that every secondary school and every local authority is able “to invest in laboratories where this is needed”. Science facilities will be designed to meet curriculum needs and inspire excellent teaching and learning.
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Clocks forward, clocks back. How does it affect Britain’s leisure, sport and tourism industries? Er, don’t know, actually, and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has no plans to assess the impact of adopting single/double summer time.