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Buses (Essex)

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many miles were travelled by buses in the county of Essex on scheduled passenger journeys which were in receipt of the rural bus subsidy grant in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001. [26852]

Ms Keeble: The rural bus subsidy grant scheme was introduced in 1998–99. The figures for the county of Essex are as follows:

Financial year	Local bus vehicle mileage
1998–99	(6)127,500
1999–2000	865,300
2000–01	1,333,500

⁽⁶⁾ First services started in January 1999.

Source:

Local authority annual returns to DTLR.

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many miles were travelled by buses on scheduled passenger journeys in the county of Essex in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001. [26851]

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Ms Keeble: The information has been estimated from the DTLR's annual survey of bus and coach operators for the financial years 1998–99 to 2000–01. The figures show estimated total vehicle miles operated on scheduled commercial and subsidised local bus services in the county of Essex, excluding the unitary authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea.

Million

Financial year	Scheduled local bus service vehicle miles
1998–99	27.5
1999–2000	28.0
2000–01	29.1

Source:

DTLR annual survey of PSV operators.

Local Authority Funding

Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what basis his indicative settlement for Worcestershire has been determined. [27116]

Dr. Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 4 December 2001, Official Report, columns 167–70.

Thameslink 2000

Mr. Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the most recent estimate is of the cost of the Thameslink 2000 project. [26149]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 11 January 2002]: The scope and options for delivering the project, if powers are granted under the TWA Order, will influence the final cost. These matters are the subject of continuing discussions between Railtrack and the Strategic Rail Authority following the Procurement Review announced on 2 April. Although it is clear that project costs will be higher than previously estimated, until the outstanding matters have been resolved a meaningful estimate cannot be given.

Highways (Southern England)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what roads on the Isle of Wight and in Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire are the responsibility of his Department; what (a) agency and (b) other arrangements exist for the maintenance of those roads; and what consultation agents undertake with his Department on works and traffic management schemes affecting those roads. [26662]

Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 11 January 2002]: 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. Andrew Turner, dated 14 January 2002:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about roads on the Isle of Wight and in the County of Hampshire.

The Highways Agency manages the motorway and trunk road network in England on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR). Maintenance of these

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roads is carried out by Managing Agents and Term Maintenance Contractors. The roads we are responsible for in Hampshire are the M3, M27, M271 and the A3(M) Motorways and A3, A339, A34, A303, A27 and A31 all purpose trunk roads. We have no responsibility for roads on the Isle of Wight.

The Agency sets standards for works and traffic management, and the way they are carried out to a level agreed with the Department. Those standards are built in to the commissions we give to our agents.

Wimbledon Football Club

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions since November Lord Falconer has had with representatives of Merton borough council, concerning the former Wimbledon football club site. [27135]

Ms Keeble: My noble Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning Regeneration has had no discussions with representatives of Merton borough council about this issue since November.

Heathrow

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent changes there have been in the arrangements for the stacking of aircraft before landing at Heathrow; and if he will make a statement. [25860]

Mr. Jamieson: The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for approving the arrangements for the stacking of aircraft before landing at Heathrow and it has confirmed that there have been no recent changes to the arrangements that exist.

Home Sellers' Packs

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will ensure that home sellers' packs include information on (a) a flooding history of the property and (b) whether the property entails riparian ownership. [27007]

Ms Keeble: Under the Government's proposals for sellers' packs, prospective buyers will be provided with key information about homes being marketed for sale. We are planning to go out to consultation in the spring to seek views on the contents of the sellers' pack. Information concerning flood risk and obligations that will transfer with the ownership of the property are among the items to be covered by the consultation.

In the meantime, the Environment Agency is currently engaged in discussions with the Law Society on making an 'Environment Agency Property Search Report', a standard part of the domestic and commercial conveyancing process in England and Wales. A pilot trial is running in North Wales and work is under way to extend this. Each Environment Agency report will include information on flood risk as well as other environmental data for which the agency has responsibility.

Revenue Support Grant

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the revenue support grant paid to smaller district authorities in the recent statement. [27130]

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Dr. Whitehead: I refer my hon. Friend 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.

Aggregates Levy

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what provision he has made in his road-building programme for additional costs arising from the aggregates levy. [26512]

Mr. Jamieson: We estimate that the aggregates levy will add less than one per cent. to the cost of the 50 schemes in the Targeted Programme of Improvements. That estimate is likely to be high because of the increasing use of recycled aggregates which the levy was designed to encourage.

Chiltern Line Franchise

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress with the renewal of the Chiltern line franchise; and when he expects a final agreement to be reached. [26518]

Mr. Jamieson: The new franchise agreement has been presented to the Strategic Rail Authority's board for their approval. If approval is granted the Secretary of State's consent is then required to enter into a new agreement.

Central Railway

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce a decision on the request of Central Railway plc for a hybrid Bill to implement their scheme. [26517]

Mr. Jamieson: The Government are considering carefully Central Railway's proposals for a hybrid Bill. We will take a view on the issues raised by proposals and respond to Central Railway in due course.

Railways

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what inquiries he has received from Ernst and Young as to the level of Government funding to the rail network over the next (a) one year, (b) five years and (c) 10 years. [26892]

Mr. Byers: Ernst and Young, in their work on administration of Railtrack plc preparing for the transfer of the business out of administration, have asked my officials for information about the future funding of the railway industry.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received from Ernst and Young on the level of future Government funding of the rail network. [26893]

Mr. Byers: None.

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