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Rent Controls

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has for legislation relating to the control of rents. [115021]

Mr. Mullin: I share the dismay and concern of many thousands of tenants that the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order has been quashed by the Court of Appeal. We have petitioned another place for leave to appeal the decision. If leave is not granted, we will give urgent consideration to the matter of legislation.

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received regarding the reform of controlled rents. [115022]

Mr. Mullin: To date the Government have received some 30 representations from hon. and right hon. Members and some 260 representations from members of the public about the effects of the Court of Appeal's decision to quash the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many staff are employed in his Department; and how many were employed in each of the last four years, including the component departments which were merged into his Department after May 1997. [115020]

Ms Beverley Hughes: On 1 January 2000, there were 16,397 staff in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, including its Agencies. These figures include 824 staff for the Rent Service, which became operational on 1 October 1999, most of whom were originally employed by Local Authorities; only 15 were transferred from another part of this Department.

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Information for previous years is available for 1 April. The following table shows employees of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in 1999 and 1998 and of the Department of Environment and the Department of Transport for 1997 and 1996.

DateStaff in post
1 April 199915,516
1 April 199815,595
1 April 199715,844
1 April 199616,206

Regional Development Agencies

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list each of the regional development projects funded by the regional development agencies to date; and what funds have been committed. [115016]

16 Mar 2000 : Column: 336W

Ms Beverley Hughes: At present there are approximately 5,000 projects administered by the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). Collating and publishing this information could be completed only at disproportionate cost.

The budget for expenditure on projects by RDAs during 1999-2000--including the Partnership Investment Programme--is £837 million.

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the cost of each of the regional development agencies in each of the years since their inception; and what is projected for future years as to (a) administration and running costs and (b) project funding costs. [115014]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The Regional Development Agencies assumed their full responsibilities in April 1999. Information for 1999-2000 and the remainder of the current Comprehensive Spending Review period is shown in the table.

16 Mar 2000 : Column: 335W

RDA expenditure: 1999-2000 to 2001-02
£000

AdministrationProject fundingTotal
1999-2000
One North East9,771139,039148,810
North West Development Agency12,131212,595224,726
Yorkshire Forward8,036152,203160,239
East Midlands Development Agency7,15560,19367,348
Advantage West Midlands7,678114,764122,442
East of England Development Agency4,80328,95733,760
South East of England Development Agency5,48682,85088,336
South West Development Agency7,48846,50953,997
All RDAs62,548837,110899,658
2000-01
One North East9,899138,659148,558
North West Development Agency12,628221,743234,371
Yorkshire Forward8,525170,700179,225
East Midlands Development Agency7,37370,37877,751
Advantage West Midlands7,989115,406123,395
East of England Development Agency5,03835,48240,520
South East of England Development Agency6,02773,67279,699
South West Development Agency7,81966,40074,219
All RDAs65,298892,440957,738
2001-02
One North East9,899143,179153,078
North West Development Agency12,628224,678237,306
Yorkshire Forward8,525190,413198,938
East Midlands Development Agency7,37271,33578,707
Advantage West Midlands7,989123,955131,944
East of England Development Agency5,03840,28245,320
South East of England Development Agency6,02785,50891,535
South West Development Agency7,81965,45973,278
All RDAs65,298944,8091,010,106

Notes:

1. Includes figures for the Partnership Investment Programme

2. 1999-2000 figures are budgets at the start of the financial year

3. 2000-01 figures are allocations, except for Competitiveness Development Fund and Inward Investment which are indicative

4. 2001-02 figures are indicative

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Ministerial Meetings (RMT)

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many meetings he has had with officials of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union since May 1997. [115024]

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Mr. Hill: Ministers have extensive dealings with organisations in both the Public and Private Sectors as part of their official duties.

It would be impracticable to maintain a central record of such meetings.

16 Mar 2000 : Column: 337W

Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the exemptions granted to date under the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998; and if he will make a statement. [114813]

Mr. Hill: The following exemptions from the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998 (RVAR), have been authorised by the Secretary of State in accordance with Section 47 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995:



    The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Croydon Tramlink Class CR400 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2000, SI 6/2000;


    The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (LTS Rail Class 357 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2000, SI No. 182/2000;


    The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (North Western Trains Class 175/0 and Class 175/1 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2000, SI 524/2000.

Before authorising any exemptions we consult our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC). Many of the exemptions are for relatively minor non compliances and most have been time limited and we expect vehicles to eventually be modified to bring them to full compliance. All exemptions authorised to date have arisen due to the vehicles being designed before the RVAR where finalised.

We are working closely with operators and manufacturers to ensure that all new vehicles ordered since the RVAR came into force fully comply with the Regulations. However, there is likely to be a requirement for a small number of exemptions to continue to be authorised to cover exceptional circumstances, for example, on railways where the infrastructure limits the physical size of vehicles.

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Paddington Station

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when safety modifications to the tracks outside Paddington station to eliminate cancellations of trains in the evening peak period will be completed. [114809]

Mr. Hill: This is a matter for Railtrack. Any changes or alterations to increase the service into Paddington have to be initiated by Railtrack and then be subject to approval by Her Majesty's Railways Inspectorate (HMRI). An exploratory meeting was held between Railtrack and HMRI on 8 March to discuss progress. However HMRI are still awaiting formal proposals from Railtrack.

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