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InterCity West Coast Franchise
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the timetable for the franchising of the InterCity West Coast rail track from London to Glasgow; and if he will make a statement. [6380]
Mr. Watts: The franchising director will invite applications to pre-qualify and tenders for the InterCity West Coast franchise as soon as practicable in 1996. The franchise will be closely linked to the project to modernise the line. The Office of Passenger Rail Franchising will bring the franchise forward as the infrastructure project is developed. This will be timed to enable the franchisee to participate fully in the modernisation.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the expenditure by his Department on the trunk road network in each of the last six years; and what is the planned expenditure for the current year. [6223]
Mr. Watts: The following table sets out the actual expenditure on trunk roads over the period 1989-90 to 1994-95 and the estimated expenditure in 1995-96.
| Total expenditure | |
|---|---|
| Outturn | £ million |
| 1989-90 | 1,416 |
| 1990-91 | 1,882 |
| 1991-92 | 1,975 |
| 1992-93 | 2,068 |
| 1993-94 | 2,182 |
| 1994-95 | 2,196 |
| 1995-96(21) | 1,923 |
(21)Estimated.
Road Improvements (Norfolk and Suffolk)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each of the proposed road improvement schemes which were due to be started in Norfolk and Suffolk and which have now been either (a) abandoned or (b) suspended; and if he will make a statement. [6459]
19 Dec 1995 : Column: 1044
Mr. Watts: Following the recent review of the trunk road programme, the list of schemes placed in each category is set out:
Longer term programme schemes
A12 Wrentham Bypass, Suffolk
A12 Wroxham Bypass, Suffolk
A12 Wickham Market--Saxmundham Improvement, Suffolk
A12 Martlesham-Wickham Market Improvement, Suffolk
A47 Acle Straight Improvement, Norfolk
A47 Blofield-Acle Improvement, Norfolk
A47 North Tuddenham-Easton Improvement, Norfolk
A47 Little Fransham Bypass, Norfolk
A47 Middleton and East Winch Bypass, Norfolk
A47 Wisbech Bypass A1101 Junction Improvement, Norfolk
A47 Tilney-Kings Lynn Improvement and A47/A17 GSJ, Norfolk.
Withdrawn schemes
A10 Setchey and West Winch Bypass, Norfolk
A12 Kessingland-Pleasureland Improvement, Suffolk
A12 Sutton Bridge-Kings Lynn Improvement, Norfolk
A140 Dickleburgh-Norwich Improvement, Norfolk
A140 Long Stratton Bypass, Norfolk
A140 Beacon Hill-Scole Improvement, Suffolk
A140 Stonham Bypass, Suffolk.
Railtrack Assets
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the net book value of Railtrack's assets a published in its annual report for 1994-95. [5763]
Mr. Watts: The report of Railtrack's auditors to its shareholders included in the annual report for 1994-95 confirms that the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company at 31 March 1995.
Rail Competition
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safeguards he intends to apply to avoid (a) passenger and (b) freight train operating companies from establishing a monopoly in a sector of the privatised rail market by acquiring two or more franchises by direct application or as a result of a takeover. [6181]
Mr. Watts: The requirements of competition law apply to franchising and the disposal of other BR businesses including freight companies. Qualifying mergers are investigated by the Office of Fair Trading under the Fair Trading Act 1973 and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry decides whether to make a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. The Rail Regulator is also required to approve any change of control of a licence holder and in exercising this function will bear in mind the availability of powers under the Fair Trading Act 1973 and the Competition Act 1980 which have been transferred to him.
19 Dec 1995 : Column: 1045
Emergency Response Trains
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many times emergency response trains have been deployed on the rail network in response to rail incidents in each of the last five years and on how many occasions they have been deployed within the ScotRail network; [4440]
(2) what consultations his Department held with Railtrack over its recent decision in relation to the deployment of emergency response trains and what representations it made; [4438]
(3) if he will make a statement on the deployment of emergency response trains by Railtrack. [4437]
Mr. Watts [holding answer 6 December 1995]: The deployment of such trains is an operational matter for Railtrack, consulting the independent Health and Safety Executive as necessary. I understand from Railtrack that the information requested is available for the period 1992 to 1995 as follows:
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | (22)1995 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 415 | 334 | 182 | 131 |
| Scotland | 7 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
(22) To 30 November 1995 only.
TREASURY
Corporation Tax
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the taxation effects on pension funds of the corporation tax changes outlined in the Finance Bill; and if he will make a statement. [6018]
Mr. Jack: Pension funds are not liable to corporation tax on their income or gains and are therefore not directly affected by the corporation tax changes proposed in the Budget.
Small and Medium Enterprises
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings his Department has had since May 1995 with organisations representing small firms to review tendering procedures. [6608]
Mrs. Angela Knight: A meeting with the following organisations representing small firms was held on 27 September 1995 to review tendering procedures:
CBI Small Firms Panel;
Association of British Chambers of Commerce; and
Forum of Private Business.
- (2) what work his Department has done to develop best practice in the publication of departmental procurement guidance material relevant to small and medium enterprises' needs. [6607]
19 Dec 1995 : Column: 1046
Mrs. Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave to her on 6 December at column 258.
Goods and Services
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department paid to the private sector for goods and services in 1994-95. [6519]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The Treasury placed orders for £12.5 million with private sector suppliers for goods and services in 1994-95.
Sequestrated Iraqi Assets
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the original value of Iraqi assets sequestrated in United Kingdom banks as a result of the Gulf conflict; what is the current value of those assets; and if he will make a statement. [6600]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Sequestrated Iraqi assets are not deposited in the United Kingdom. However, the Bank of England advises that the value of Iraqi funds sequestrated in accordance with Security Council resolution 778 was $736,938.12 made up of $672,553.43 plus accrued interest of $64,384.69.
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which United Kingdom banks Iraqi assets sequestrated as a result of the Gulf conflict are deposited; and if he will make a statement. [6601]
Mrs. Knight: Banks in the United Kingdom do not hold any sequestrated Iraqi assets. As required by the provisions of Security Council resolution 778--adopted on 2 October 1992--concerning the temporary sequestration of certain Iraqi assets, all funds representing the proceeds of the sale of Iraqi petroleum or petroleum products, paid for on or after 6 August 1990, have been transferred to the United Nations' escrow account provided for in Security Council resolutions 706 and 712, which were adopted on 15 August and 19 September 1991 respectively. Funds in the escrow account are available for meeting the costs of compensation arising out of the Gulf war and costs of UN activities and humanitarian relief.
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