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Rail Safety
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with (a) the HSE, (b) Railtrack plc, (c) the administrator of his staff and (d) Mr. Alan Cooksey concerning issues of rail safety since Railtrack was put into administration. [23985]
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Mr. Jamieson: My officials have regular meetings with HSE, Railtrack plc and the administrator and his staff at which a variety of matters are discussed.
Road Schemes
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to fund by PFI (a) new and (b) existing major road schemes announced in the Local Transport Capital Settlement 2002–03. [23984]
Mr. Jamieson: Local authorities are asked, as part of their Local Transport Plans, to examine whether individual major road schemes would be suitable for PFI procurement. Based on this information, the Department has identified a number of schemes which appear to be suitable for PFI procurement. In these cases, we expect each of the local authorities to evaluate whether the scheme would demonstrate better value for money as a PFI deal. Advice and assistance is available from the Department to help local authorities carry out this evaluation. Conventional funding would not be available as an alternative source of funding for schemes that demonstrate better value for money through PFI. At present, a number of existing schemes are undergoing, and new ones have been asked to carry out, such an evaluation. Final decisions on the most appropriate procurement route will be taken when those evaluations are complete.
Regeneration Projects, Islington
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the regeneration projects (a) wholly and (b) partly funded by the Government in Islington since May 1997, with the expenditure to date on each project by central Government. [23643]
Ms Keeble: Central Government expenditure to date on Islington regeneration schemes is as follows:
| Scheme | Expenditure |
|---|---|
| Single Regeneration Budget | |
| Futures Gateway | 189,583 |
| Kings Cross | 30,523,806 |
| Finsbury Park | 4,365,254 |
| City Fringe | 8,000,000 |
| Total | 43,078,643 |
| New Deal for Communities | |
| 2000–01 | 10,000 |
| 2001–02 | 595,282 |
| Total | 605,282 |
| Estates Action | |
| Prior to 2001–02 | 7,853,895 |
| 2001–02 | (4)504,844 |
| Total | (4)8,358,739 |
| Neighbourhood Renewal Fund | |
| 2001–02 | 386,828 |
| Capital Challenge | |
| 1997–2000 | (4)9,500,0000 |
| Grand total | (4)61,548,219 |
(4) Estimate
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Jo Moore
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will reply to the letter of 16 November from the hon. Member for Maidenhead regarding his special adviser Jo Moore. [23925]
Mr. Byers: I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday.
Ring-fenced Funds
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what funds allocated by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies are ring-fenced for specific purposes; and if he will list the allocations of funds involved. [22951]
Ms Keeble: All funds allocated by the Department and its executive agencies to recipients in the private, public and voluntary sectors are issued for specific purposes. However, recipients may have more or less flexibility over the use they make of those funds depending on the conditions of the payment regime.
Government Advisory Group for Motor Cycling
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the Government Advisory Group for Motor Cycling has been disbanded. [23699]
Mr. Jamieson: No. The advisory group met on 13 November and the next meeting is to be arranged for the spring.
River Safety
Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress he has made in implementing the recommendations of Lord Justice Clarke's inquiry into the Marchioness and River Safety; and if he will make a statement. [21588]
Mr. Jamieson: On 29 November I announced that I had, that day, placed in the Libraries of the House an updated summary of the action taken on each of Lord Justice Clarke's 74 recommendations. Further updates will be placed in the Libraries at about six monthly intervals.
Multi-Modal Studies
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures are being taken to speed up delivery from multi-modal studies. [24259]
Mr. Spellar: I have asked the Highways Agency, in consultation with the relevant study steering group and Government Office, to identify trunk road schemes which would benefit from additional work to support and inform the study and the subsequent decision-making process. In concert with the Government Office, statutory advisory bodies and regional partners, the Agency will carry out such additional work as may be required to establish these schemes' feasibility. Where the Regional Planning Body and the Secretary of State subsequently agree to progress a scheme, this approach will also facilitate entry to the national Targeted Programme of Improvements. We are working closely with the Strategic Rail Authority to
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ensure that consideration of rail schemes is similarly informed and robust and have asked steering groups and Government Offices to identify schemes that would benefit from early assessment. We are also encouraging steering groups to identify local transport schemes for which additional appraisal at an early stage would aid decision making.
Boundary Commission for Wales
Mr. Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he intends to invite the members of the Boundary Commission for Wales to serve a second term; and if he will make a statement. [24404]
Mr. Byers: I have today appointed, for a second term, Professor Kenneth George as a member of the Boundary Commission for Wales. His appointment is effective until 30 June 2005.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has also today appointed, for a second term, Mrs. Susan Smith, as a member of the Boundary Commission for Wales. Mrs. Smith's appointment is also effective until 30 June 2005.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Police Numbers
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) civilian
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staff there are (i) in total and (ii) for each police force in England and Wales at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [23919]
Mr. Denham: The tables show, for March 1997, September 2000, March 2001 and September 2001 total numbers of police officers and civilian staff for each police authority area in England and Wales, together with changes in numbers since March 1997 and September 2000.
On 30 September 2001 total police numbers, including secondments, in England and Wales were 127,231 an increase of 2,645 or 2.1 per cent., compared with the end of September 2000. This is the largest annual increase in police numbers since 1980–81.
Between 30 September 2000 and 30 September 2001 the number of civilian support staff increased by 2,788, or 5.2 per cent., to 56,644.
In total, there were 183,875 police officers and civilian support staff compared with 180,169 in March 1997.
The substantial investment we are putting into the police service is delivering the improvements that we promised. We are on track to meet our target of record police numbers by April 2002 and 130,000 officers by spring 2003.
Following concern about the quality of data in previous police personnel statistics publications, we established a task force to review the data requirement. The report of the task force proposes a comprehensive revision to the current requirements on police personnel statistics. Following consultation with the police service we will implement the necessary changes from September 2002.
(5) As of April 2000, the Metropolitan police force was reduced in size by transfer of responsibility for policing some areas to the surrounding forces of Surrey, Hertfordshire and Essex. These changes need to be borne in mind when comparing figures for these forces before and after April 2000.
(6) Excluding secondments
(7) Including secondments
Note:
Because of rounding, constituent parts may not necessarily sum to the totals
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(8) As of April 2000, the Metropolitan police force was reduced in size by a transfer of responsibility for policing some areas to the surrounding forces of Surrey, Hertfordshire and Essex. These changes need to be borne in mind when comparing figures for these forces before and after April 2000.
(9) Excluding secondments
(10) In the March 1997 figures, civilian secondments were counted within the civilian figures for the forces from which they were seconded. The increase in civilians between March 1997 and September 2001 take account of this.
(11) Including secondments
Note:
Because of rounding, constituent parts may not necessarily sum to the totals
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