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M1 (Fatal Accidents)

Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) non-fatal and (b) fatal accidents took place at each junction section of the M1 from London up to junction 29 for each of the last three years;

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how many took place (a) in daylight and (b) in darkness; and if he will make a statement. [3200]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Irvine Patnick, dated 11 December 1995:

As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) non-fatal and (b) fatal accidents took place at each junction section of the M1 from London up to Junction 29 for each of the last three years; how many took place (a) in daylight and (b) in darkness; and if he will make a statement.


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Rail Franchising

Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) at what point in the franchising process a comparison of the costs of the preferred bidders against those of British Rail is to be considered for each of the first three train operating companies; [4974]

    (2) if he will publish the comparative costs of services under (a) the preferred bidder and (b) British Rail for the first three train operating companies to be franchised; [4931]

    (3) if he will make a statement on the costs using the preferred bidder for each of the first three train operating companies, relative to the costs of continuing the service under British Rail. [4973]

Mr. Watts [holding answer 8 December 1995]: Until franchise negotiations are complete information about the preferred bids is commercially confidential. The franchising director will award franchises to the bidders that offer the best overall value for money in terms of services for passengers and costs to taxpayers. He makes comparisons of the costs of preferred bidders against those of British Rail throughout the bidding process as these are an essential component of his value-for-money judgement.

For the funding of the British Rail train operating companies in 1995-96, I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 13 July to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish), Official Report, column 706. I will write to the hon. Member shortly on the level of support appropriate to each train operating company that has been agreed between the franchising director and the British Railways Board, and will place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

The franchising director expects to publish subsidy figures for the first three franchisees in the franchising director's register in due course; although, under section 73 of the Railways Act 1993, information may be withheld at the discretion of the Secretary of State or the franchising director if disclosure would be against the public interest or the commercial interests of franchisees.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Regional Challenge

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to make an announcement of successful regional challenge projects, and if he will make a statement. [5468]

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Mr. Eggar: I am today announcing the successful regional challenge projects in England which will receive grant totalling £140 million towards projects costing almost £800 million.

Regional challenge is designed to enhance local partnerships, stimulate innovative local development and maximise the contribution of the private sector. The projects announced today will bring a new dynamism and efficiency to local economies across England. Local firms will play a major role in projects ranging from industrial and transport infrastructure, tourism, research and development and environmental improvement to training and job creation.

I am particularly encouraged by the wide range of local bodies that have been involved in the development of regional challenge projects. The competition has encouraged the far greater involvement of the private sector. This involvement is clearly reflected in its contributions to projects which account for almost half the total costs of the winning projects, and have added considerably to quality and value for money. The value of the dialogue between the public and private sectors about what is needed in local communities is shown by the type of projects that have been put forward.

Regional challenge projects are typically larger in scale, more comprehensive in their effect, and better address the specific needs of local communities. This culture of co-operation will benefit not only today's winners. I hope that, as with previous competitions, many of the partnerships brought together by regional challenge will go ahead with part or all of their projects, even though they are not winners, thus spreading the benefits of the challenge even wider.

A list of winning projects is set out:


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