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Historic Field Systems
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to protect historic field systems from damage. [143767]
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Mr. Alan Howarth: Under the Monuments Protection Programme, this Department and English Heritage are undertaking a systematic review of England's archaeological resource, with a view to providing statutory protection, through scheduling, to those sites identified as being of national interest. Historic field systems are being assessed in this context. Once a site has been scheduled, specific consent has to be obtained from my right hon. Friend before any works can be carried out that could damage the monument.
Modernising Government White Paper
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much for each financial year from 1998-99 until the latest date for which sums have been allocated his Department has spent and expects to spend on the implementation of the Modernising Government White Paper. [143699]
Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 21 December 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 21 December 2000, Official Report, column 245-46W.
Wembley Stadium
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has held with the Football Association regarding future plans for Wembley Stadium since the failure of the re-development proposal; what role other sports will play in the revised proposals; and if he will make a statement. [144517]
Kate Hoey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have been kept informed of developments about the future direction of the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium by the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. I hope the Football Association will be in a position to announce details of its revised proposals as soon as possible.
Regional Arts Councils
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) male and (b) female members there are on each regional arts council board. [144276]
Mr. Alan Howarth: I have placed the figures for the current board membership of regional arts boards according to gender in the table.
| Total | Female | Male | |
|---|---|---|---|
| East England Arts | 16 | 8 | 8 |
| East Midlands Arts | 17 | 5 | 12 |
| London Arts | 15 | 7 | 8 |
| Northern Arts | 23 | 7 | 16 |
| North West Arts | 16 | 4 | 12 |
| Southern Arts | 20 | 13 | 7 |
| South East Arts | 18 | 7 | 11 |
| South West Arts | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| West Midlands Arts | 17 | 5 | 12 |
| Yorkshire Arts | 23 | 10 | 13 |
| Total | 180 | 74 | 106 |
8 Jan 2001 : Column: 366W
Cancer Services
Ms Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Wales has received for cancer services from the New Opportunities Fund. [144167]
Kate Hoey: The New Opportunities Fund has £9.75 million available to fund cancer prevention, detection, treatment and care projects in Wales. The Fund has sought applications from interested parties in Wales and is currently working to identify suitable schemes to make the best and most effective use of this money in line with national policies and local needs. The Fund expects to announce successful projects in April 2001.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND
THE REGIONS
Railways
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will hold discussions with the Health and Safety Executive, the relevant companies and the trades unions in the railway industry to establish a uniform set of safety standards in the industry. [143763]
Mr. Hill: Arrangements already exist for the discussion of health and safety issues, including standards, through bodies such as the Health and Safety Commission's Railway Industry Advisory Committee (RIAC), which includes representatives of employers, trade unions and passengers. There are no plans to convene additional meetings prior to receiving Lord Cullen's report on the Ladbroke Grove rail inquiry, which is expected to make proposals on the subject of standards and how they are set.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will discuss with the management of Railtrack the criteria for the issuing of contracts for maintenance and renewal, and the priority given to (a) quality and (b) price. [143756]
Mr. Hill: These are matters for Railtrack. I understand from the company that their criteria for the issuing of tenders for contracts are based upon the termination dates for the existing contracts and the strategic reorganisation of these contracts in order to maximise technical, safety, organisational and commercial benefits.
I understand that the criteria used for evaluation are as follows:
Tenders will be evaluated on the basis of the most commercially advantageous offer which demonstrates compliance with the requirements of the contract and on the quality of the Tenderer's Technical and Assurance Offers and their ability to deliver the contract requirements.
The high level criteria against which Tenderer's submissions will be evaluated in respect of compliance with tender requirements and quality of proposals are as follows:
Technical
1. Overall Maintenance and Performance Strategy;
2. Innovation and Investment;
3. Corporate Structure;
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4. Sub-Contractor Information;
5. Organisational Structure;
6. Curricula Vitae for Key Personnel;
7. Human Resources Statement;
8. Plan Resources Statement;
9. Mobilisation Statement;
10. First Year Work Plan
11. Possessions Statement;
12. Fault, Incident and Rapid response;
13. Office, Sidings, Works and Welfare Accommodation; and
14. Stage 2 Details.
Assurance
15. Safety Proposals;
16. Environmental Proposals; and
17. Quality Assurance Proposals.
Commercial
18. Percentages for Annual Fee, comprising Overheads and Profit;
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19. Lump Sums for Accommodation and Contract Area Overheads;
20. Risk and Opportunities Register; and
21. Schedules of Rates.
I understand also that the Technical, Assurance and Commercial evaluations are brought together by identifying the different risks, opportunities, advantages and disadvantages of each tender and making a commercial adjustment to the Tenderer's commercial offer, thereby establishing the most advantageous offer overall to Railtrack plc.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (a) the companies with contracts for maintenance and renewals working the railway industry and (b) length of each contract. [143765]
Mr. Hill: The following lists from Railtrack show the companies responsible for maintenance and renewals respectively and the lengths of each contract.
8 Jan 2001 : Column: 367W
| Contractor | Zone | Contract area | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMEC | East Anglian | West Anglia and NLL | 1 April 1999 | 31 March 2001 |
| AMEC | South | Sussex | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Amey | Midlands | Chilterns | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Amey | Great Western | Reading | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2002 |
| Amey | Great Western | Exeter | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2002 |
| Balfour Beatty | East Anglian | Great Eastern and LT&S | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Balfour Beatty | London North Eastern | ECML North | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Balfour Beatty | London North Eastern | ECML South | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Balfour Beatty | South | Kent | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Balfour Beatty | South | Wessex | 1 October 1999 | 31 March 2004 |
| First | Scotland | North, East and Central Scotland | 1 April 1999 | 31 March 2004 |
| First | Scotland | West and South West Scotland | 1 April 1999 | 31 March 2004 |
| First | North West | Manchester | 1 April 2000 | 31 March 2005 |
| GTRM | East Anglian | Norwich | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| GTRM | Midlands | WCML South | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| GTRM | Midlands | WCML Central | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| GTRM | Midlands | W. Midlands and Cambrian | 1 April 1999 | 31 March 2001 |
| GTRM | Great Western | Gloucester | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2002 |
| GTRM | Great Western | Bristol | 12 December 1999 | 31 March 2002 |
| GTRM | Great Western | South Wales | 1 April 1999 | 31 March 2004 |
| GTRM | North West | Preston | 1 April 2000 | 31 March 2005 |
| Jarvis | North West | Liverpool and North Wales | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Jarvis | North West | Merseyrail DC | 1 April 1994 | 31 March 2001 |
| Jarvis | London North Eastern | Central | 1 April 2000 | 31 March 2005 |
| Serco | Midlands | East Midlands | 1 April 2000 | 31 March 2005 |
8 Jan 2001 : Column: 367W
| Contractor | Zone/area | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| A) Plain line | |||
| Jarvis | Scotland | January 1998 | May 2002 |
| Jarvis | London North Eastern | January 1998 | May 2003 |
| Jarvis | West Coast (Midlands and North West) | January 1998 | May 2001 |
| Balfour Beatty | Southern | October 1998 | May 2003 |
| Amey/SECO joint venture | Great Western | January 1998 | May 2003 |
| Centrac (Carillion) | East Anglia | January 1998 | May 2001 |
| GrantRail, Motherwell Bridge and First Engineering | Various minor works | Various | Various |
| B) Switches and Crossings | |||
| Jarvis | Scotland | September 1998 | March 2002 |
| Jarvis | London North Eastern | July 1998 | May 2003 |
| Jarvis | Great Western | February 2000 | March 2002 |
| Centrac (Carillion) | North West | July 1998 | July 2001 |
| Centrac (Carillion) | Midlands | May 1998 | March 2001 |
| GrantRail | East Anglia | April 1999 | May 2001 |
| Balfour Beatty (variation to plain line contract) | Southern | October 1998 | May 2003 |
8 Jan 2001 : Column: 369W
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will call a conference of infrastructure and maintenance companies and the relevant trade unions working in the railway system, to prepare a planned investment, maintenance and renewal programme for the entire railway system. [143762]
Mr. Hill: The Government's plans for investment in the railway system are set out in the 10 Year Plan for Transport.
Following the Hatfield tragedy, at the request of the Deputy Prime Minister, the chairman of the shadow Strategic Rail Authority has been urgently considering the issue of maintenance and renewal work on the railway in close consultation with industry parties.
My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Transport and I will shortly be meeting the railway industry trade unions to discuss the continuing disruption on the railway.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what directions are issued to staff employing ultrasonic rail floor detectors in the event of their discovering cracks in the rail. [143764]
Mr. Hill: Railtrack's line standard (RT/CE/S/103) lists the minimum actions required when broken rail and rail defects are found. Railtrack expects its contractors to comply with its standards and to employ competent trained staff. A copy of Railtrack's line standard is available in the Library of the House.
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