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London Underground
35. Mr. Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent representations he has received on his plans to involve the private sector in the London Underground. [28472]
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Mr. Spellar: The Deputy Prime Minister announced the Government's plans for involving the private sector in the modernisation of London Underground in March 1998. Since then the Government have received representations from a wide range of individuals and organisations.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) which London Underground lines will be provided with full fleets of new trains by June (a) 2006 and (b) 2010; [30534]
- (2) if he will list the stations that are to be refurbished by June 2006, indicating what improvements are required at each station by the PPP contracts, broken down by local authority in the London Underground area; [30531]
(3) if he will list the service improvements that are to be delivered by the public-private partnership for London Underground by June 2006; [30533]
(4) if he will publish targets for reductions in (a) signal failures and (b) train breakdowns set for the public-private partnership by June 2006 that would affect the users of London Underground services. [30532]
Mr. Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 13 November 2001, Official Report, column 622W.
Rail Freight
36. Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he is taking to improve rail freight services through the channel tunnel. [28473]
Mr. Spellar: There have been many contacts between the British and French Governments since November. The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State and the Home Secretary have all written to their French counterparts to ask that all necessary measures are put in place as soon as possible, to enable full rail freight services to resume.
Rail Investment
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the total level of investment and public support to be made in the railways over the next 10 years. [31445]
Mr. Byers: We estimate that the total level of public and private investment and public support in the railways over the 10 years to 31 March 2011 will be £64.9 billion.
The Government have committed to provide £33.5 billion of funding to the rail industry over this period, consisting of both public investment and revenue support (including direct revenue support for private investment). This represents an increase of £4.5 billion from the £29 billion total in the July 2000 10-Year Plan for Transport. Government funding will work in partnership with an estimated private investment of £34.3 billion to help deliver our 10-Year Plan objectives for rail.
As was made clear at the time of the 10-Year Plan, the £60.4 billion total investment and public support for rail, both public and private, is net of an adjustment to exclude
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direct revenue support for private investment. Table A2 in the 10-Year Plan makes it clear that this is necessary to avoid double counting. The revised total of £64.9 billion, consisting of the original 10-Year Plan total plus the additional £4.5 billion of Government funding announced since then, is net of the same adjustment.
Devolution (Concordats)
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress his Department is making in reviewing its concordats with the devolved Administrations. [31569]
Mr. Raynsford: My Department has reached agreement with the Scottish Executive on a revision of the concordat made between it and the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in November 1999, to reflect Machinery of Government changes and other necessary updates. In addition, a new concordat has been agreed between my Department and the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment. Both concordats provide the framework to guide the working relationship between the parties, to promote good communications at all levels and to foster constructive co-operation.
Copies of both concordats are being placed in the Library. They are also being made available on my Department's website.
Public Relations Consultant
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years. [27395]
Dr. Whitehead: My Department and its agencies have spent the following amounts on public relations consultants over the last four years in support of publicity campaigns such as 'are you doing your bit?' which encouraged people to take simple actions to protect the environment:
| Department | Agencies | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 0 | 5,000 |
| 1999–2000 | 683,600 | 4,300 |
| 2000–01 | 748,900 | 84,500 |
| 2001–02(1) | 352,900 | 13,500 |
(1) Estimate
Expenditure on PR consultants by non-departmental public bodies could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Fraud
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if he will make a statement. [27298]
Dr. Whitehead: Losses due to fraud, which includes theft, are as follows.
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| Department | Agencies | NDPBs | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 13,616 | 15,690 | 69,690 | 98,996 |
| 1998–99 | 19,850 | 13,980 | 115,970 | 149,800 |
| 1999–2000 | 22,850 | 30,291 | 78,236 | 131,377 |
| 2000–01 | 43,290 | 47,780 | 201,385 | 292,455 |
| 2001–02(2) | 4,505 | 49,210 | 48,160 | 101,875 |
| Total | 104,111 | 156,951 | 513,441 | 774,503 |
(2) To date
Assets have been valued at cost, net book value or replacement cost depending on the circumstances of the individual case. Recoveries from perpetrators or others, eg insurance claims, have been netted off. Some incidents are still under investigation and final values may change.
Vehicle Registration Plates
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy that Northern Ireland is included in the national flags and symbols allowed to be displayed on the vehicle registration plates. [27660]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 15 January 2002]: The decision to amend the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 to allow for the display national flags and symbols on number plates in England, Scotland and Wales was taken in response to a broad consensus for change.
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Theft and Fraud
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years. [27980]
Dr. Whitehead: Losses due to theft and fraud are as follows:
| Department | Agencies | NDPBs | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 19,850 | 13,980 | 115,970 | 149,800 |
| 1999–2000 | 22,850 | 30,291 | 78,236 | 131,377 |
| 2000–01 | 43,290 | 47,780 | 201,385 | 292,455 |
| 2001–02 (to date) | 4,505 | 49,210 | 48,160 | 101,875 |
| Total | 90,495 | 141,261 | 443,751 | 675,507 |
Assets have been valued at cost, net book value or replacement cost depending on the circumstances of the individual case. Recoveries from perpetrators or others, e.g. insurance claims, have been netted off. Some incidents are still under investigation and final values may change.
Lost/stolen Property
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from his Department in each of the last four years. [27989]
Dr. Whitehead: The details are as follows:
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Assets have been valued at cost, net book value or replacement cost depending on the circumstances of the individual case. Recoveries from perpetrators or others, eg insurance claims, have been netted off. Some incidents are still under investigation and final values may change.
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