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London Underground
20. Mr. John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on negotiations towards a public private partnership for the London Underground. [107326]
Mr. Hill: Excellent progress has been made. Bids for the two deep-Tube PPP contracts are due back by the end of next month. There has been strong interest in the Sub-surface lines and property PPP competitions as well. Submissions to pre-qualify for those contracts are due back later this month.
Regional Development Agencies
21. Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the regional economic strategy prepared by the Eastern regional development agency. [107327]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) submitted its strategy for the East of England, "Moving Forward," to Ministers on 26 October. The Government responded to EEDA and the other RDAs on 12 January. Copies of the responses have been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the rates of pay offered to the chairmen of regional development agencies. [109434]
Ms Armstrong:
I refer to the reply given by the Minister for Trade, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn) on 23 July 1998, Official Report, columns 668-69W, on the rates of pay offered to board members of Regional Development Agencies. When appointed in December 1998 the Chairmen were contracted for two days per week with an annual remuneration of £44,000.
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I have now agreed that the Chairmen of the RDAs in the East Midlands, West Midlands and North East will be contracted to work on RDA business for three days a week from 1 October 1999 until 31 March 2000. Their rate of pay will be increased pro rata to £66,000. The Chairman of the North West Development Agency will be contracted on these revised terms from 1 November 1999 until 31 March 2000.
22. Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to regenerate the north-west. [107328]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
One of the main steps that the Government have taken is in establishing the North West Development Agency on 1 April 1999. With a total budget of over £176 million for 1999-2000, it has developed and is starting to implement a strategy for regenerating the north-west.
Mr. Hopkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to promote the regeneration of disadvantaged areas in the eastern region. [107310]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Government are supporting regeneration of the disadvantaged areas of the east of England through a number of area-based and other initiatives including the Single Regeneration Budget, Land and Property and Rural programmes, and Skills and Competitiveness Development Funds, all managed by the East of England Development Agency; the New Deal for Communities and Sure Start programmes; and European funding via the current Objective 5b programme and the new Objective 2.
23. Mr. Martlew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he last met representatives of Virgin Trains to discuss the west coast main line service. [107329]
Mr. Hill:
The Secretary of State has not met representatives of Virgin Trains to discuss the West Coast Main Line service. The Franchising Director and his staff have regular meetings with Virgin Trains as part of their monitoring of the franchise agreement.
24. Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on future investment plans for the rail system. [107330]
Mr. Hill:
We have made it clear that we want to see much higher levels of rail investment. We are confident that the next ten years will see the largest investment in the railways for 100 years.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to encourage train operating companies to make the necessary long-term investment in their rail services; and if he will make a statement. [107953]
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 95W
Mr. Hill:
We have made it clear that there must be more investment in the railways. Train operators have been told that we are willing to consider longer franchises in return for better services for passengers in terms of greater investment and improved performance, and value for money for the taxpayer. We have asked the Franchising Director, when considering requests for franchise replacements, to give due weight to commitments to new or earlier investment.
25. Dr. Naysmith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the shipping industry. [107331]
Mr. Hill:
The Government set out its plans for the shipping industry in its policy paper "Charting a new course". It sets out 33 inter-related actions designed to secure the future of UK shipping.
27. Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the future of parish councils. [107333]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Parish councils will continue to play a key role in many of our towns and villages.
In our forthcoming rural White Paper, we intend to address further how we see parish councils playing their part in rural governance.
28. Mr. Savidge:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps are being taken to establish the Strategic Rail Authority; and what its impact will be in Scotland. [107334]
Mr. Hill:
The Transport Bill makes provision for the establishment of the Strategic Rail Authority. In Scotland it will administer all passenger rail franchises including the making of franchise payments to the relevant train operating companies. The Authority will also receive directions and guidance for Scottish passenger rail services from the Scottish Ministers together with financial provision from the Scottish Consolidated fund to help meet the costs of these services.
29. Mr. Fitzpatrick:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what projects his Department has recently evaluated relating to schemes to improve the quality of life for people in disadvantaged communities in east London. [107335]
Ms Armstrong:
My Department places great importance on the thorough evaluation of its regeneration programmes and over the past two years we have received independent evaluations of the Stratford and Bethnal Green City Challenge Schemes, as well as an interim evaluation of the South Leytonstone Single Regeneration Budget Scheme. A mid-point review of Housing Action Trusts will be published in the spring, including those in Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. In addition, last
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 96W
year, an interim evaluation of the impact made by the East London and Lee Valley Objective 2 European programme on deprived communities was undertaken.
30. Mr. Sawford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the support his Department makes available for increasing and improving shopping facilities in existing town centres. [107336]
Mr. Raynsford:
Planning policy guidance for town centres and retail developments (PPG6) strongly promotes town centre management and makes particular reference to improving access to and within town centres, improving the pedestrian environment and addressing the needs of people with mobility difficulties. Through our funding of the Association of Town Centre Management and the Civic Trust, we have been assisting local authorities to promote town centre management by preparing and disseminating good practice.
31. Mrs. Laing:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to deal with extra traffic flows in areas of new greenfield developments. [107337]
Mr. Raynsford:
Planning Policy Guidance note 13, a draft of which was issued for consultation in October last year, requires a transport assessment to be submitted with every major development which will include an assessment of traffic flows.
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