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Train Protection and Warning System

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made by Railtrack in fitting train protection and warning system to the rail network; how many miles of track have been fitted with TPWS in (a) Railtrack's southern zone, (b) the south eastern network and (c) Kent and Sussex; how many miles of track have been fitted with TPWS since 7 October; and how many miles of track were fitted with TPWS in the same period last year. [22926]

Mr. Jamieson: The information is not available in the form requested.

Structural Faults (Railways)

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many structural defects have been (a) identified and (b) repaired since Railtrack plc was placed into administration; and what the figure is for the same period in 1997. [22925]

Mr. Jamieson: This information is not held by the Department.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many motorists did not qualify for a VED rebate because they bought a licence for the year starting July 2000 with a single payment. [21802]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of annual licences taken out during the period between July and October 2000 and thus were not eligible for a VED rebate was some 1.2 million.

Public Transport Projects (London)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the major public transport projects being built in London, with starting dates. [22462]

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Mr. Jamieson: The following major public transport projects are currently being built in London:

the East London Line Northern Extension—work commenced on 3 December 2001,


the channel tunnel rail link stage 2—work commenced on 2 July 2001,


the upgrade of Kings Cross/St. Pancras London Underground Ltd. station—work commenced 6 August 2001, and


the west coast main line upgrade, Euston approaches—work commenced spring 1997.

Speed Cameras (Buckingham)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many speed cameras are located in the Buckingham constituency. [22654]

Mr. Jamieson: There are six fixed speed camera sites and up to three mobile units operating in the Buckingham constituency.

Aston Clinton Bypass

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how many people are employed in the construction of the Aston Clinton Bypass; [22558]

(2) what his most recent estimate is of the cost of construction of the Aston Clinton Bypass in the Buckingham constituency. [22566]

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

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. John Bercow, dated 19 December 2001:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Aston Clinton bypass.

The contract price for the by-pass was £21.7 million. I am afraid it is not possible to disaggregate a value for the part of the by-pass that is in the Buckingham constituency. During November, 51 people were employed on the contract but numbers fluctuate from month to month depending on the nature of the work.

If you would like any further information please, contact Andy Finch the Project Sponsor in our Dorking office, who will be pleased to help you. He can be contacted on 01306–878343.

Local Government Finance

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to revise and re-issue the consultation document for the 2002–03 Local Government Finance Settlement published on 4 December 2002, taking into account errors subsequently identified; and if he will make a statement. [22709]

Dr. Whitehead: In line with practice in previous years, the Department will shortly be issuing further information to local authorities, which include such data as are available now but were not available in time for inclusion in the data sent out on 4 December 2001. A copy of this information will be placed in the House Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced to the House on 18 December 2001, Official Report, column 137, his intention to meet the concern raised by shire districts

19 Dec 2001 : Column: 513W

during the consultation on the settlement, in relation to the way in which their grant floor has been calculated. We will announce the full details of how we will do this at the time of the final settlement, around the end of January 2002.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the content of the letter dated 6 December to himself from Sir Jeremy Beecham, with particular reference to the points relating to the local government settlement for Lewes district council; [22950]

(2) for what reasons certain district councils will not benefit from the minimum increase of 2.3 per cent. provided to councils as part of his recent statement on the local government settlement. [23190]

Dr. Whitehead [holding answer 17 December 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush (Mr. Soley) on 18 December 2001, Official Report, column 137.

Standard Spending Assessment (Essex)

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement summarising the changes in the responsibilities of local councils which led him to adjust the figures for the SSA and general grants for Essex county council and the Rochford district council for the current financial year. [21774]

Dr. Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush (Mr. Soley) on 18 December 2001, Official Report, column 137.

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage increase in local rates will be required to be imposed by Essex county council and Rochford district council if they spend the full SSAs allocated to them for 2002–03 and receive the full general grant for that year announced on 4 December. [21775]

Dr. Whitehead: The responsibility for setting council tax levels lies with local authorities. The provisional local government finance settlement, announced in the House on 4 December, does not require any local authorities to set council tax at any particular level.

South Eastern Rail Network

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how many trains have been cancelled since 7 October in (a) the southern zone, (b) the south eastern network and (c) Kent and Sussex; and what the figures are for the same period in 1997; [22916]

(2) how many trains running in November were late in reaching their destination within (a) Railtrack's southern zone, (b) the south eastern network and (c) Kent and Sussex; and what the figures were for November 1997. [22919]

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Mr. Jamieson: The information is not available in the form requested.

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps have been taken by Railtrack to improve the power supply for the south eastern rail network, with particular reference to Kent and Sussex; how much money was spent on the required upgrading (a) before and (b) since Railtrack plc was placed into administration; and how much is required before all new rolling stock can be utilised together. [22927]

Mr. Jamieson: Connex Transport UK Ltd., in conjunction with Railtrack, are seeking to find a means of ensuring that the power supply is adequate for the operation of these trains. Until these means are identified the investment required to solve the problem will not be known.

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much money Railtrack plc has spent on maintenance and repair of the south eastern rail network, with particular reference to Kent and Sussex, since being placed into administration; and what the comparative figures are for the same period in 1997. [22922]

Mr. Jamieson: This is a matter for the Administrator.

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many newly commissioned trains and carriages are unutilised within the south eastern rail network with particular reference to Kent and Sussex as a result of the power supply in the southern zone. [22918]

Mr. Jamieson: There are currently no commissioned units stabled in Kent or Sussex which are not in use. There are units stabled at these locations while undergoing a rigorous process to gain acceptance for use on the network. There are no units out of use due to any issues concerning power supply.

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