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Police Complaints Authority
Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make a new appointment to the Police Complaints Authority. [24502]
Mr. Denham: I have appointed a new full-time member to the Police Complaints Authority. The appointment will be for three years. The new member is:
- Name: Marcus Williams
Start date: 3 December 2001
Previous position: Department of Trade and Industry.
19 Dec 2001 : Column: 492W
Security Service
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the position is on certificates, under section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998 concerning the Security Service; and if he will make a statement. [25158]
Mr. Blunkett: On 10 December, I signed a new certificate describing in general terms the personal data that the Security Service may process that requires exemption under the Data Protection Act 1998 on the grounds of safeguarding national security. I have placed a copy of that certificate together with the public reasons for my signing it in the Library.
The new certificate takes account of the comments made by the National Security panel of the Information Tribunal in their determination on 1 October in respect of the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker). The new certificate supersedes the one quashed by the Tribunal in that appeal.
Charity Commission
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the Charity Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit and administration costs for 2001–02. [25157]
Angela Eagle: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Charity Commission Department Expenditure Limit will be increased by £631,000 from £22,161,000 to £22,792,000 and the administration costs limits will be increased by £631,000 from £20,852,000 to £21,483,000. Within the Department Expenditure Limit change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the table:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Resources | |
| Change | 631,000 |
| New DEL | 21,463,000 |
| Of which: | |
| Voted | 21,463,000 |
| Non-voted | 0 |
| Capital | |
| Change | 0 |
| New DEL | 1,329,000 |
| Of which: | |
| Voted | 1,329,000 |
| Non-voted | 0 |
The change in the resource element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit arises from the take-up of £631,000 in respect of administration costs end year flexibility arrangements. The total increase in administration costs is £631,000.
The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
19 Dec 2001 : Column: 493W
Criminal Incidents (London Buses)
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) criminal incidents were reported as occurring on London buses and (b) arrests have been made in (i) Havering and (ii) Greater London as a whole, in the past 12 months. [22938]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
Since January 2001 6,887 criminal incidents have been reported to London Buses, including assaults on staff and passengers. However, many incidents go unreported. There are also a number of incidents reported to the police which London Buses are unaware of.
Figures for criminal incidents on buses for individual boroughs are not currently available.
Within the Greater London area there were 1,202 arrests at the end of October for arrests for criminal incidents on the transport network as a whole.
TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE REGIONS
Kirkham and Wesham Station
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the reasons for Railtrack's inability to honour the commitment made in September 2000 to co-fund with Lancashire county council the building of a lift at Kirkham and Wesham station. [17377]
Mr. Spellar: Railtrack's decision, taken before it went into administration, followed the conclusion of the Rail Regulator's periodic review of the company's access charges. The Rail Regulator and the Strategic Rail Authority have subsequently confirmed that Railtrack is only funded to provide "like for like" replacement under its repair and maintenance obligation at franchised stations.
Railtrack
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish statistics on the delays attributed to Railtrack over the last four weeks, compared with the four weeks before 5 October. [19961]
Mr. Spellar: Railtrack have provided the following data for the four weeks before and after 5 October.
| Week ending | Railtrack direct delay minutes |
|---|---|
| 15 September 2001 | 163,048 |
| 22 September 2001 | 148,205 |
| 29 September 2001 | 172,638 |
| 06 October 2001 | 183,157 |
| 13 October 2001 | 227,163 |
| 20 October 2001 | 203,454 |
| 27 October 2001 | 204,175 |
| 03 November | 215,649 |
19 Dec 2001 : Column: 494W
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many staff have left Railtrack, broken down by grade since Railtrack was put into administration; what changes there have been in the number of delayed trains in each of the five weeks (a) prior to and (b) since administration; and what estimate has been made of the amount of funding to be allocated to Railtrack during the administration period, indicating how much capital investment has been allocated for each project. [19803]
Mr. Jamieson: The management of Railtrack plc during administration is a matter for the administrator. The Government have provided adequate funding to enable the administrator to discharge his responsibilities and has stressed to him the importance of retaining and motivating key staff.
My Department does not receive regular reports on the number of train delays. Information on total delay minutes attributable to Railtrack was provided by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport in his reply given today to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) (PQ 19961), at column 493W.
As the length of the administration is unknown, it is not possible to estimate the amount that will be required to fund Railtrack plc in administration.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which aspects of Railtrack Group plc's (a) operations and (b) assets he considers to be core business; and which aspects of its operations have been classified as public interest. [21044]
Mr. Jamieson: The core business of Railtrack Group plc is the provision of railway network services. It is for the administrator to consider what assets are required for the management of the network. It is in the public interest for the network to be managed safely, efficiently and effectively.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what applications he has made for state aid approvals as outlined in section 8.1.10 of the commercial loan agreement with the Railtrack administrator; and for what amounts. [21483]
Mr. Jamieson: The Secretary of State submitted an application for state aid approval on 28 November 2001. The premature release of the figures may prejudice the administrator's orderly release of commercially sensitive information in detailed discussions with potential bidders for Railtrack plc.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the weekly rates of remuneration of the administrator of Railtrack are. [22872]
Mr. Spellar: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 383W.
Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much Railtrack has incurred in penalty charges for delays and cancellations since being placed into administration; and what the figure was for the same period in 1997. [22917]
19 Dec 2001 : Column: 495W
Mr. Jamieson: This is a commercial matter between Railtrack and train operating companies.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 558W, on Railtrack, what estimates the Railtrack administrator has given him of the amounts likely to be drawn down under the working capital facility by 1 April 2002; [23217]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 558W, on Railtrack, what representations he has received from the Railtrack administrator about likely draw downs under this facility before 15 April 2002; and from which departmental and Government budgets the sum has been drawn. [23211]
Mr. Jamieson: It is estimated that £211 million will be required to 31 March 2002, but this figure is under constant review. The facility is part of the loan agreement and is not a call upon the departmental budgets.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guarantees he has received from the Railtrack administration that funds will be available at the end of the administration period to repay the loans drawn down under the commercial loan agreement. [23152]
Mr. Jamieson: None have as yet been asked for.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answers of 11 December 2001, ref 18945 and 18957, Official Report, column 782W when he expects the administrator to complete this review and make detailed representations to the SRA and the Department. [23222]
Mr. Jamieson: The nature and timing of the review of Railtrack's expenditure needs is a matter for the administrator, acting in accordance with his duties to the High Court.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 2001, ref 21485, if the management accounts revealed major variances between the budget and actual results. [23221]
Mr. Jamieson: I am informed that this information is market sensitive.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 556W, on what dates his Department had discussions with the Treasury about Railtrack administration between 1 October and 30 October. [23155]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer to which he refers.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 6 December 2001, Official Report, column 438W, on Railtrack, for what reason the provision of a drafting date is exempt from disclosure. [23210]
19 Dec 2001 : Column: 496W
Mr. Jamieson: The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information makes clear that information on internal opinion, advice, recommendation, consultation and deliberation is exempt from disclosure.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 2001, ref 21487, what requirement the management accounts reveal for further draw downs of the facility. [23220]
Mr. Jamieson: Draw down requirements are covered in 8.1.6 (h) of the Loan Agreement.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 558W, on Railtrack, if he will list the consents applied for by the administrator. [23213]
Mr. Jamieson: The train protection and warning system; the Leeds First project; and the Thameslink Advanced Signal Works.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the sources from which funds could be obtained to secure the repayment of loans drawn down under the commercial agreement. [23154]
Mr. Jamieson: This is a matter for the administrator.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answers of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 558W, for what reason a repayment has been made. [23669]
Mr. Jamieson: Repayments have been as a result of the working capital cash sweep.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the decision not to create RenewCo led to Railtrack entering administration; and for what reason his Department did not implement the Renewco agreement. [23611]
Mr. Jamieson: No, Railtrack plc entered into administration because it was, or shortly would be, unable to meet its debt liabilities. The decision not to proceed with RenewCo was taken following advice from the ONS that the proposed RenewCo structure would classify in the public sector and as a result did not satisfy the conditions agreed on 2 April and in light of Railtrack's directors being informed of the decision on 5 October to reject their 'Project Rainbow' proposal for additional funds.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of the funding requirement for Railtrack in the period to 31 March 2002 will come from sources other than funds covered by the commercial loan agreement; and if he will list these alternative sources. [24125]
Mr. Jamieson: Railtrack plc in administration continues to receive funding to the level and profile determined in the regulator's October 2000 periodic review and the 2 April agreement. This incorporates income from track access charges, network grants and 'single-till' sources. It is not possible at this stage to speculate what proportion of overall income this constitutes.
19 Dec 2001 : Column: 497W
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 2001, Official Report, column 1015W, in what circumstances he will increase the funding provided for in the commercial loan agreement, as provided for in sections 9.1, 2.1 and 2.2. [24253]
Mr. Jamieson: Any request by the administrator for increased funding would be considered on its merits, taking into account the circumstances pertaining at the time of the request.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority (i) has taken and (ii) plans to take to change the nature and level of constraints placed upon the sale of strategic land and property by Railtrack; and if he will make a statement. [23148]
Mr. Jamieson: Under the modification to Condition 26 of its network licence, which came into effect on 15 November, Railtrack plc must now seek the rail regulator's specific consent in important cases of the disposal of land that may be used for railway purposes. The purpose of the new licence condition is to ensure that those parts of the Railtrack property portfolio which may be required for the future development of the railway are retained for that purpose.
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