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Channel Tunnel (Rail Freight)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what work his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the viability of freight traffic using the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (i) on the tracks currently under construction and (ii) using the same corridor; and if he will make a statement. [3641]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 16 July 2001]: My Department, and its predecessors, have not commissioned any studies of freight use of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and the same corridor. In 1993 Union Railways evaluated the impact of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link on rail freight traffic. The results of this work were used by the Department to inform the decisions to go ahead with the construction of the Link.

Central Railway

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what evaluations his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) reviewed into the operation of Central Railway. [3640]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 16 July 2001]: My Department has not commissioned any evaluation of Central Railway's proposals. The Strategic Rail Authority's Freight Strategy outlines a programme of infrastructure and freight-specific investment, and discusses the concept of a new strategic route between the Channel Tunnel, the West Midlands and the north. It is in this context that the SRA initiated a high-level review of Central Railway's proposals. The SRA's consultants have now delivered their report and the SRA will advise the Government of its findings in due course. We will respond to Central Railway taking the SRA's conclusions into account.

Train Passengers

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures exist to require train companies to regulate the number of passengers that trains may safely carry (a) at peak times of travel and (b) at other times; and how such measures are enforced. [4590]

Mr. Jamieson: The Health and Safety Executive consider overcrowding on trains to be a matter of comfort rather than one of safety. Accordingly there are no statutory safety limits on the number of passengers that can travel on trains. For commuter routes into London and Edinburgh train operators are required to keep overcrowding within specified thresholds. All trains in use have a nominal capacity, and operators must plan their services to ensure that the aggregated number of Passenger's In Excess of Capacity is kept to 3 per cent. over the morning and evening peaks or 4.5 per cent. for either peak in isolation. Train operators conduct annual passenger counts to demonstrate compliance. If the thresholds are breached the company is required to produce an action plan to remedy the problem.

Boundary Changes

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will decide on the recommendations of the Local Government

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Commission regarding the boundary changes in the Swale borough council area; and when he will issue an order with regard to such changes. [4609]

Dr. Whitehead: I have made the preliminary decision to accept the recommendations of the Local Government Commission for Swale borough council without amendment. We are now consulting on a draft Order which, if made, would give effect to the Commission's recommendations. Subject to the consultation I envisage making the Order implementing the revised electoral arrangements in Swale in the autumn.

Rough Sleepers

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 July 2001, Official Report, column 1408W, concerning rough sleepers, how many rough sleepers are aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 25, (c) 26 to 35, (d) 36 to 45, (e) 46 to 55, (f) 56 to 65, (g) 66 to 75 and (h) over 75 years. [4182]

Ms Keeble: "Coming in from the Cold", the Government's strategy on tackling rough sleeping, has delivered a raft of policies and services that are preventing vulnerable people coming on to the streets and rebuilding the lives of former rough sleepers.

The RSU has introduced a range of services in London to help vulnerable rough sleepers off the streets. A recent analysis of rough sleeper ages recorded by London Contact and Assessment Teams from 1 December 2000 to 31 March 2001 showed that around 40 per cent. of rough sleepers were aged between 26 and 35, with roughly 20 per cent. aged between 16 and 25, and 36 and 45. Around 10 per cent. were aged between 46 and 55 and roughly 10 per cent. were aged over 56 years of age, of which a very small percentage were between 66 and 75 and over 75. Contact and Assessment Teams found no rough sleepers under 16 during the period.

A similar picture showing the greatest proportion of rough sleeping in the 26–35 age band is also found in other areas of the country.

IT Contracts

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the Information Technology contracts in excess of £500,000 let by his Department or its predecessor since April 1991, giving in each case the original estimated cost and original estimated completion date, the actual cost and actual completion date and the names of the contractors involved and consultants retained by his Department. [3508]

Mr. Byers: The information my right hon. Friend requests is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

M25 (Resurfacing)

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the timetable for decision making and the subsequent development and execution of plans to resurface the M25. [4562]

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Mr. Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Humfrey Malins, dated 17 July 2001:

The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about plans to resurface the M25.

The Highways Agency have published a leaflet giving advance notice of roadworks, including resurfacing, on the M25 motorway. The leaflet, which is updated quarterly, is widely available and currently covers the period July to September 2001. A copy is enclosed and copies have been placed in the Library.

The trunk road network is regularly monitored by the Highways Agency who will continue to make maintenance a priority over the next 10 years, with a maintenance programme of around £7 billion between 2001–10.

If you would like more details: Peter Rix in the Agency's Dorking Office will be able to help. His telephone number is 01306 878356.

Fleet Driver Training

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Driving Standards Agency regarding fleet driver training and the applicability of police advanced training standards based on the National/ International Roadcraft Manual; and if he will make a statement. [4563]

Mr. Jamieson: When setting appropriate standards for fleet driver training we will consider carefully all comments received in response to the recent consultation exercise undertaken by the Driving Standards Agency, together with the work that the Agency has been undertaking in partnership with the police service developing national standards for police drivers.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what consultations the Driving Standards Agency is undertaking regarding fleet driver training; and when these consultations will be concluded. [4561]

Mr. Jamieson: The Driving Standards Agency issued a consultation paper in February about registering driving instructors who specialize in fleet driver training. The consultation period ended in May. Responses are now being considered together with our proposals for the wider reform of the regulation of driver instruction, which was announced in our Road Safety Strategy: "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone," and suggestions for improving "work related" road safety. I hope to be in a position to make announcements later in the year.

Jubilee Line

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on how many weekdays this year the Jubilee underground line has been run without interruption. [4504]

Mr. Jamieson: This is an operational matter for London Underground who inform me the standard they used to measure "without interruption" is that there are no service delays of 15 minutes or more. They have provided the following information for this financial year to date (1 April 2001 until 23 June 2001): the Jubilee line has run for 24 days out of 56 without interruption. The 24 days

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does not include four bank holidays which are treated as weekends rather than weekdays. Of the remaining 32 days, there were three in which the delays were attributable to external factors, such as a person on the track, and two where suspect packages caused delays.

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