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London Underground
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the options currently under consideration for increasing investment in London Underground; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the Coopers and Lybrand report compiled for his Department. [12981]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government are considering a wide range of options for public/private partnerships to increase investment in London Underground, while ruling out wholesale privatisation. The Government's advisers, Price Waterhouse, have examined debt funding with public ownership; partnership structures which could involve a Trust, a joint venture concession or partial sale of the business, or a full concession; and operational structures which could involve a single business, vertically integrated line businesses or separating infrastructure from operations. The Government are also considering options for increasing investment in the short term. I have no plans to place Price Waterhouse's work in the Library, but will consider what background information should be made available when policies and decisions are announced.
Railways (Public Service Obligation Grant)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proportion of the turnover of the 25 train operating companies was derived from the public service obligation grant in each year; [12883]
- (2) what proportion of Railtrack's turnover was derived from the public service obligation grant paid to the train operating companies in each year; [12881]
(3) what proportion of the turnover of the three rolling stock leasing companies was derived from the public service obligation grant paid to the train operating companies in each year. [12882]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Public Service Obligation grant has been replaced by Support for Passenger Rail Services (SPRS), paid by the Franchising Director to the 25 train operating companies (TOCs). SPRS is not hypothecated to cover particular types of expenditure, so it cannot be directly identified as the source of payments made by TOCs to Railtrack or to the rolling stock leasing companies (ROSCOs). In addition to SPRS, the TOCs receive income from PTEs, from fares paid for passenger services and from payments made for other services.
3 Nov 1997 : Column: 68
| £ million cash prices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | |
| SPRS payments | 1,783 | 1,669 | 1,809 |
| PTE payments | 346 | 362 | 290 |
| Total public support to TOCs | 2,129 | 2,031 | 2,099 |
| TOCs' income from passenger fares(29) | 2,171 | 2,379 | 2,582 |
| Passenger access charges | 1,955 | 2,003 | 2,119 |
| Railtrack turnover | 2,275 | 2,300 | 2,437 |
| Passenger leasing charges | 800 | (30)-- | (30)-- |
| ROSCO turnover | 800 | (30)-- | (30)-- |
(28) All figures for payments and charges are for the passenger railway industry as a whole. They do not reflect the position of individual TOCs, e.g. Gatwick Express receives no public support.
(29) TOCs' income from other sources is not readily available.
(30) Information may be available from the Registrar of Companies, Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF4 3UZ.
Housing Developments (Affordable Housing)
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the powers he has to require private developers to provide a proportion of affordable housing in new housing developments; [13006]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of local authorities' powers to ensure that new developments include a sufficient proportion of affordable housing. [13008]
Mr. Raynsford: The courts have held that a community's need for a mix of housing types--including affordable housing--is capable of being a material consideration in the determination of planning applications by local authorities or the Secretary of State or appeals by the Secretary of State. The courts have also held that the Government's statements of planning policy are material considerations which must be taken into account, where relevant, in decisions on planning applications or appeals.
The Department's current policies on how the planning system can contribute to the overall supply of affordable housing are set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing, as supplemented by Circular 13/96. On 24 July 1997 the Government issued for consultation a draft revision of Circular 13/96. The consultation period ended on 3 October 1997. My Department is currently analysing the responses.
Local Authority Services (Funding)
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the financial provision for local authority services per head of population for each local authority in England in the current financial year. [13395]
3 Nov 1997 : Column: 69
Mr. Raynsford:
Data on 1997-98 Standard Spending Assessments per head of population for each local authority in England is contained in the "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook 1997/98", a copy of which is available in the Library. Table 1 of the Handbook gives figures for total SSA per head and Table 2b gives SSAs by major service block.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of opencast coal mining in England; what consultations he has had with representatives of voluntary and community groups over the review; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards opencast coal mining.[13660]
Mr. Raynsford:
We published a consultation paper on the review of planning policy for opencast coal on 30 July 1997. The paper sought views on the issues raised by the 10 point plan for opencast coal, which we prepared when in opposition, and the options for change. The closing date for comments is 31 October. We have to date received a number of comments, including 12 from voluntary or community groups and 32 from members of the public. In the light of responses to consultation the Government will decide what changes to policy guidance could and should be implemented in interim planning guidance, which would better be accommodated in a full review, planned for 1998, of Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 (Coal Mining and Colliery Spoil Disposal) and whether any legislative changes are necessary.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions at what level of passenger in excess of capacity the Rail Regulator is required to consider sanctions on a train operating company; and what plans he has to review this figure.[13052]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) levels are set by the Franchising Director at 3 per cent. across all morning and evening peak services, and 4.5 per cent. across either peak in isolation. These maximum levels are below the average level of overcrowding experienced during the last 10 years of British Rail operation. There are no plans to change these standards, but each train operating company is kept under regular review by OPRAF.
Passenger counts must be carried out by an OPRAF-approved independent body at least once a year to monitor operator's compliance with PIXC standards. The Franchising Director can instruct an operator to carry out a feasibility study on the most effective method of increasing capacity if it seems likely that because of an increase in demand the operator will be unable to meet the PIXC requirements using existing records.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the number of passengers in excess of capacity on rail passenger safety. [13053]
3 Nov 1997 : Column: 70
Ms Glenda Jackson:
None. All rolling stock is designed to operate safely, even when fully loaded. Overcrowding in itself is not a safety hazard. The Passengers in Excess Of Capacity levels set by the Franchising Director are intended to maintain reasonable levels of passenger comfort at peak times.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the suppliers to his Department who are owed outstanding amounts, indicating the amounts and the due date on which the account should have been settled. [13552]
Angela Eagle:
All departments are required to pay all their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is later, where no such terms exist. Such detailed information on payment performance for the current financial year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Treasury will shortly be publishing a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996-97.
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