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Railtrack

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Railtrack concerning the possibility of the Government taking a share in the company; and if he will make a statement. [127805]

Mr. Hill: In the context of developing our 10 Year Plan for Transport, we have discussed with Railtrack and others ways of increasing investment in the railway. Our plans for rail investment will be set out in the 10 Year Plan, to be published next month, and in the shadow Strategic Rail Authority's subsequent strategic plan.

Rail Fares

Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the powers of the Rail Regulator with regard to fare increases. [127643]

Mr. Hill: Responsibility for the regulation of rail fares lies with the Franchising Director not the Rail Regulator. Under the Railways Act 1993, the Franchising Director has powers to regulate fares where it is in the interests of passengers to do so. He has imposed a cap on the price of key fares, and operators are not able to increase those fares overall above the rate of inflation. Since January 1999, the key fares have been capped at 1 per cent. below the rate of inflation for each of the next four years. The key fares include all Saver tickets, unrestricted standard returns where there are no Savers, and all standard weekly season tickets. Other fares, including discounted fares for off-peak travel, are set by the train operators.

Busking and Begging

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures are being taken to tackle busking and begging on or near public transport. [127215]

Mr. Hill [holding answer 26 June 2000]: The problem of begging is a concern to all public transport operators and in particular the railways and London Underground. They are trying to increase public awareness of the associated problems and announcements are made on stations and trains requesting that the public refrain from giving money to beggars.

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Various powers are available to the police forces dealing with both begging and busking under the Vagrancy Act, the Children and Young Persons Act and specialist railway legislation. Police forces adopt a proactive approach, especially where issues of safety are concerned, and have an agreed policy with the Crown Prosecution Service to charge and prosecute first time offenders where safety may be compromised.

A multi-agency group has also been formed to tackle the issues of begging and busking and meets four times a year. This group includes the Metropolitan Police, the British Transport Police, Thames Valley Constabulary, Social Services, Child Protection Teams and the Asylum Seekers Co-ordinator. They are currently producing a joint strategy to deal with begging.

The railway operators, London Underground and other light rail operators have submitted new byelaws to the Secretary of State for confirmation and these are currently being considered. The new byelaws include provisions to allow the operators to license buskers on their property. It is hoped that this measure will allow them easier control of the problems associated with busking.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he will take to achieve his target for carbon dioxide reduction. [127898]

Mr. Meacher: The draft climate change programme that the Government published on 9 March sets out how we propose to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It sets out proposals for policies and measures that will ensure the Government deliver their Kyoto target and move towards their domestic goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. These measures include action to improve energy efficiency in business and the home; increase renewable energy and reduce emissions from the transport sector. A copy of the draft strategy is in the Library.

London Development Agency

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to support the London Development Agency in 2000-01. [128440]

Mr. Hill: Parliamentary approval for making grants to this Agency, which is to be an executive body working with the Mayor for London, is being sought in a Summer Supplementary Estimate for Housing, construction regeneration, regional policy, planning and countryside and wildlife Vote (Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Class III, Vote 1). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £7 million will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

The Agency has the same statutory purposes as the regional Development Agencies in the rest of England. The status of the Agency is described in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' Annual Report 2000. Financial provision for predecessor bodies was made in the Main Estimates 2000-01, so this

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announcement will not add to the total of public expenditure. The Ambit of the Supplementary Estimate will, however, clearly identify the Agency.

Roads

Mr. Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on the M60 junction 12-18 study. [128481]

Mr. Hill: Phase 1 is complete and it will now be taken forward as a Multi-Modal Study. I expect work to begin this summer with completion in summer 2001.

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much was spent on the A55 in each of the last 10 years on (a) construction work and (b) maintenance. [124726]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have been asked to reply.

During the 10 years up to 1 July 1999, the approximate investments into the A55 in Wales was (a) £247 million on construction and (b) £36 million on maintenance. The figures for maintenance of the A55 in Wales are not held in a suitable form to be broken down annually without incurring disproportionate cost.

Annual construction costs for the A55 in Wales for the 10 years leading up to 1 July 1999 were:

£

Year	Costs
1990	72,031,304.98
1991	58,039,274.90
1992	38,265,737.02
1993	50,778,935.95
1994	13,380,375.87
1995	4,729,880.48
1996	1,400,083.32
1997	3,966,241.82
1998	4,224,182.77
1999	115,916.18
Total	246,931,933.29

For that part of the A55 in England, the Highways Agency only hold information for the last two years (1998-99 and 1999-2000), when expenditure was:

£

	1998-99	1999-2000
Construction	219,500	120,000
Maintenance	67,500	1,032,500

All functions with regards to trunk roads and motorways in Wales were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July 1999.

HEALTH

Meat Hygiene Service

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when, and for what reason, the St. David's Practice was

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awarded the Mead Webber contract by the Meat Hygiene Service; and how many other vets or vet practices were invited to bid for that contract. [122049]

Ms Stuart [holding answer 15 May 2000]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that a tender valuation panel met on 16 March 2000 to consider tenders submitted for the provision of official veterinary surgeon services to the plant operated by Mead Webber Limited. All tenders were assessed against a range of pre- determined criteria including quality and price.

The panel awarded the contract to the St. David's Farm and Equine Veterinary Practice on the basis that it provided overall best value when evaluated against these criteria.

Nine other veterinary practices or veterinary surgeons were invited to tender for this particular contract.

Public Health (West Midlands)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the priority given to public health and healthy living programmes in the plans of primary care groups and NHS trusts in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands region. [125681]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 12 June 2000]: Health development groups working across agencies and organisations have been set in motion to develop the health improvement programme (HImP) in Coventry. I understand that primary care groups have had a key leadership and membership role in these groups. Each of the three PCGs in Coventry has identified its local priorities based on an assessment of health needs of its populations and aligned funding of its Primary Care Investment plans with the health improvement plans.

Regeneration in Coventry will be further supported through the development of a healthy living centre (HLC), subject to the success of the bid which was submitted at the end of May. HLCs are funded through the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) and are aimed at mobilising community activity in improving health and reducing inequalities. The HLC bid arose from extensive partnership working and more than 300 information packs were distributed to voluntary, community and statutory groups across Coventry. Coventry's bid is designed to complement other initiatives such as the HImP and the community plan and will focus on young people, their families and carers.

HImPs across the West Midlands include an assessment of the health needs of local populations. Priorities are determined locally and the funding of Primary Care Group investment plans is aligned with HImP priorities.

Primary care groups and National Health Service trusts have huge potential to improve people's health and prevent illness, and the West Midlands Regional Office will continue to support that developing role.

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