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Lord Birt
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 January 2002, refs 29312, 29314 and 29316, Official Report, column 1054W for what reasons he is not able to answer the questions relating to the work of Lord Birt. [30562]
Mr. Jamieson: The answers to these questions are set out in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 January 2002, Official Report, columns 723–24W, to which I have already referred the hon. Member.
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of (a) large and (b) small NDPBs are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission. [30472]
Dr. Whitehead: The audit arrangements for all executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are listed in the annual publication "Public Bodies". No audit details are provided for the other types of NDPB as their spend is usually negligible. In the majority of cases the National Audit Office (i.e. the Comptroller and Auditor General) is the external auditor. However, some executive NDPBs employ commercial auditors and, in such cases, the NAO has been granted inspection rights.
The Audit Commission rarely audits NDPB accounts. It does not keep records to enable it to identify separately any NDPB audits. The Audit Commission has only gained responsibility for auditing NDPB accounts when there has been a round of local government reorganisation and where some residuary or stand-alone bodies have been created by statute, which are treated by their founding legislation as local authorities, for the purposes of the Audit Commission Act 1998.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers local authorities have to influence the spending and policy of NDPBs that have branches at local level. [30462]
Dr. Whitehead: Local government has no statutory powers to influence the spending and policy of NDPB's that have branches at local level. Various powers exist which enable innovation and closer working between local authorities and their partners, including the discretionary power in the Local Government Act 2000 to do anything they consider likely to promote the economic, social and environmental well being of their area.
Tyne and Wear Metro
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 866W, on Tyne and Wear metro, what requirements imposed by the Health and Safety Executive have made this common usage possible. [31543]
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Mr. Jamieson: The new extension of the Tyne and Wear metro runs, in part, along existing mainline network. Therefore, HSE has required all of the signals on the metro extension to be fitted with an automatic train protection system (Train Protection and Warning System) similar to those fitted to the rest of this stretch of the mainline network. This is to ensure that all trains that pass a signal at danger are automatically brought to a halt.
National Air Traffic Services
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what discussions he has had with the Treasury on the CAA representation on the ability of the Airlines Group business plan for NATS to withstand a major incident; [31645]
- (2) what advice he received from the Civil Aviation Authority on the ability of the Airlines Group's business plan for NATS to withstand a major incident; [31648]
(3) if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the CAA's submission about the ability of the Airlines Group Business Plan for NATS to withstand a major incident. [31653]
Mr. Jamieson: The terms of the public-private partnership for NATS were accepted by all the parties involved, including the Civil Aviation Authority. It would not be appropriate to disclose the detail of discussions prior to conclusion of this commercial deal.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has prepared a contingency plan for NATS going into administration or receivership. [31655]
Mr. Jamieson: No such plan has been prepared.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when (a) he and (b) his officials last met NATS to discuss its financial situation. [31656]
Mr. Jamieson: Ministers and officials maintain regular contact with NATS.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received, other than from that of the CAA, about the ability of NATS to withstand a major incident. [31654]
Mr. Jamieson: No such representations have been received.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received from banks backing NATS seeking additional public financial support for the business. [31644]
Mr. Jamieson: The banks backing NATS are in regular discussion with the Government and all other relevant parties regarding the company's financial situation.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he last met NATS' bankers to discuss its financial situation. [31643]
Mr. Jamieson: No such meetings have been held.
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Central Trains
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what commitment Central Trains has made to introduce new rolling stock during the period of its two year franchise extension. [31537]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is considering the possibility of a two year extension to the current Central Trains franchise aimed at achieving an early increase in capacity but no commitments have been made by either party.
Rail Interoperability
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether his Department has held discussions with its counterpart in the Irish Republic about rail interoperability on the routes that link ports with access to the Republic and the Channel Tunnel. [31386]
Mr. Jamieson: My Department and the Strategic Rail Authority are in regular contact with counterparts in the Irish Republic on a range of issues, but this has not included the specific issue of projects to adapt such routes to european interoperability specifications.
Rail Freight
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 865W, on freight facilities, what additional funds are being made available for rail freight. [31538]
Mr. Jamieson: The 10-year plan provides £3.5 billion of funding for rail freight over 10 years, to provide capital investment and revenue support.
East London Line
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 866W, on the East London line, if the references to the East London line in the SRA Strategic Plan apply only to the extension to Dalston Junction. [31541]
Mr. Jamieson: The references in the SRA Strategic Plan are to the full East London line extension project, including both northern and southern extensions.
Bus Services
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the financial allocation by his Department is to support bus services in (a) London and (b) the remainder of the south-east. [31392]
Ms Keeble: Bus services, and transport issues in London in general, are a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London. However, I hope that the following will be helpful.
The Government allocate a block transport grant which the Mayor is free to spend in accordance with the Transport Strategy for London. In the current financial year that grant is some £714 million, and will rise to just
30 Jan 2002 : Column 325W
over £1 billion next year. The Government have also supported specific projects such as the London Bus Initiative, through its Capital Modernisation Fund. The Mayor has consistently stated that investment in buses is one of his highest priorities.
As far as bus services outside London are concerned, it is for individual local authorities to decide how much of their Revenue Support Grant settlement to allocate to the support of bus services.
However, authorities in the south-east, as elsewhere, benefit from the specific funding schemes we have introduced to support bus services. Authorities in the south-east Government office region have been allocated a total of £9.14 million in Rural Bus Subsidy Grant in the current financial year. This will increase to £10.46 million in 2002–03. In addition, we have recently announced awards for authorities in the south-east totalling £2.7 million as a result of latest round of the Rural Bus Challenge and of £461,000 from first round of the Urban Bus Challenge. We have also awarded £425,000 for an Urban Bus Challenge project in London.
In addition, under support for capital expenditure to implement their local transport plans, authorities in the south-east outside London have been allocated £179 million for local transport projects in 2002–03. Bus services will benefit significantly from many of these projects.
In addition all operators of local bus services, inside and outside London, receive Fuel Duty Rebate from my Department.
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