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London Underground (Privatisation)
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place statutory limits on the re-sale of shares to those currently employed or contracted to London Underground Ltd. in the event of a management buy-out. [18349]
Mr. Bowis: Our proposals for encouraging employees and others to acquire a stake in the privatised London underground will be explained in the White Paper we plan to publish this summer.
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral statement of 25 February, Official Report, columns 149-65, concerning London Underground Ltd., what (a) consultants and (b) advisers he intends to employ for what specific purposes and at what estimated costs; and from which vote such payments would be made. [18348]
Mr. Bowis: My right hon. Friend intends shortly to commence the process of inviting bids for the provision of professional advice on the financial implications of privatisation of the London Underground, and of the options outlined in his statement. No estimates have yet been made of the cost of such an appointment; nor have decisions been taken on the vote from which such an appointment would be funded.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Ms Hoey) of 25 February, Official Report,
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column 161, concerning consultations over the privatisation of London Underground, if he will list those bodies he intends to consult and indicate for each the scope of such consultation. [18344]
Mr. Bowis:
My right hon. Friend intends to consult a wide range of bodies, including but not limited to London Transport, the Health and Safety Commission, the Rail Regulator, Office for Passenger Rail Franchising, the London Pride Partnership and the London Regional Passengers' Committee. Consultation will cover matters relevant or of concern to each body. We expect that many other bodies will also wish to let him have their views.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral statement of 25 February, Official Report, columns 149-64, on London Underground from what source he estimates that any privatised section of the activities of London Underground will provide funds for paying interest on capital borrowings (a) prior to and (b) subsequent to the completion of payment of receipts from shares being invested in capital improvements to improve structure or equipment. [18347]
Mr. Bowis:
This would depend on the structure for privatisation chosen and on the arrangements made by the private sector operator concerned.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) of 25 February, Official Report, column 160, concerning London Underground, if he will make it a duty of the regulator to ensure that existing minimum levels and quality of service are maintained within the fare structure set out in his statement. [18350]
Mr. Bowis:
The White Paper we plan to publish this summer will set out our detailed proposals, including the regulatory arrangements which will underpin these requirements.
Mr. Dobson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the promised contribution of £300 million towards the cost of the Jubilee line extension has been paid so far by the Canary wharf developers. [18130]
Mr. Bowis:
The Canary Wharf developers have agreed to contribute £400 million towards the cost of the Jubilee line extension. To date, London Transport has received £100 million. The balance of £300 million will be paid over a 24-year period starting immediately after the first day of operation of the Jubilee line extension.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the terms of reference set by him and by the Secretary of State for the Environment when they sought advice last autumn from the Countryside Commission on the proposed crossing of the River Avon by the Salisbury bypass. [18011]
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Mr. Watts:
The terms of reference of the review of certain aspects of the proposed A36 Salisbury bypass are set out in paragraphs 51 to 53 of the letter of 22 October 1996 issued on behalf of my right hon. Friends. Specifically, the Secretaries of State instructed the Highways Agency to consult the Countryside Commission on the aspect of the review that was concerned with possible further measures to reduce the overall landscape impact of the bypass in the region of the newly notified East Harnham meadows site of special scientific interest.
35. Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the capacity of Cullompton, Devon, juvenile courts to meet their work load. [16732]
Mr. Streeter:
I understand that Her Majesty's magistrates courts service inspectorate is today beginning an inspection of the Devon magistrates courts committee area. We have no reason to doubt the capacity of the Cullompton juvenile court to meet its work load.
36. Mr. Brazier:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received on making convicted criminals contribute to the cost of their court hearing and legal aid bills. [16733]
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received on making convicted criminals contribute to the cost of their court hearing and legal aid bills. [16726]
Mr. Streeter:
I have received no representations on making convicted criminals contribute to the cost of their court hearing and legal aid bills. However, where their means require it, defendants in criminal cases already make a contribution towards their legal costs.
38. Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the growth in the legal aid budget since 1980. [16735]
Mr. Streeter:
The principal factor underlying the growth in legal aid expenditure since 1980 has been the increase in the number of people helped. During the period, the number of acts of assistance increased by 219 per cent., from 1 million in 1980-81 to 3.5 million in 1995-96. Higher unit costs have also contributed significantly to growth, where average payments have consistently grown at a rate well above that of inflation.
40. Sir Michael Neubert:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what results he expects from the institution of National Marriage Week; and what contribution has been made by his Department to its objectives. [16737]
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Mr. Streeter:
National Marriage Week was organised independently by the Christian charity Marriage Resource. My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor was pleased to accept an invitation from Marriage Resource to speak at an event during National Marriage Week. He called on all those who believe in the institution of marriage to work to promote a positive and realistic vision of marriage. I and my colleagues in the Government are committed to doing all we can to support marriage.
41. Lady Olga Maitland:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to improve access to civil justice; and if he will make a statement. [16738]
Mr. Streeter:
The Government have embarked on a wide-ranging set of reforms of the civil justice system, following Lord Woolf's final report "Access to Justice". October 1998 has been set as the target date for the implementation of the major planks of the reforms, which are designed to make civil litigation quicker, cheaper and simpler.
42. Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects a full review of limitation legislation to be completed. [16739]
Mr. Streeter:
The Law Commission has undertaken a comprehensive review of the law of limitation periods with a view to its simplification and rationalisation. The first stage will be completed when the Law Commission publishes a consultation paper, which it hopes to do this summer. A period of consultation will follow before the Law Commission makes its final recommendations.
Mr. Tim Smith:
To ask the Parliamentary Sectetary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the composition of the Advisory Board on Family Law.[18700]
Mr. Streeter:
On 10 December 1966, in response to a question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence), Official Report column 96, I set out the Lord Chancellor's plans for the Advisory Board on Family Law which will provide independent advice on the implementation and operation of the Family Law Act 1966.
The Lord Chancellor has now appointed Sir Thomas Boyd-Carpenter to be the chairman of the Advisory Board on Family Law and the following people to be members of the board:
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The Honourable Mr. Justice Wall
Naomi Angell
Dr. Carole Kaplan
Dr. Janet Lewis
Suzan Matthews QC
Professor Phyllida Parsloe
Professor Simon Roberts
Jane Simpson
David Skidmore
Colin Webb
All appointments are for a period of five years commencing on 1 April 1997 and ending on 31 March 2002. The board's first meeting will take place on 14 April 1997.
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