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Consultants
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many contracts and what fees in each financial year since 1997–98 (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, (c) KPMG, (d) PA Consulting, (e) WS Atkins, (f) Accenture, (g) Deloitte & Touche, (h) McKinsey, (i) Capita, (j) AEA Technology, (k) Xansa Group, (l) Sema Group, (m) CMG Admiral, (n) ICL Group and (o) Logica received for advising his Department on PFI and PPP contracts; and if he will make a statement. [32503]
Dr. Whitehead: My Department's contracts for the provision of advice on PFI and PPP contracts since 1997–98 are set out in the following table. Details of the fees incurred in each financial year can be only provided by incurring a disproportionate cost.
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Special Advisers
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 January 2002, Official Report, column 1041W, on special advisers, how many special advisers have left his Department since May 1997; on how many occasions the head of his Department has recommended a gap between leaving employment in his Department and taking up outside employment; if he will list the gap for each occasion this has occurred; and if he will make a statement. [31594]
Dr. Whitehead: Since May 1997 10 special advisers have left the Department. Special advisers, like other civil servants, are subject to the business appointment rules which require them to seek approval for taking up outside employment in defined circumstances. Following consideration by the Independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, a gap of six months was recommended in one case.
Government Expenditure (London)
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total Government expenditure in each London borough (a) was in each of the past five years and (b) is planned for 2002–03, broken down into (i) the Standards Fund, (ii) the Ethnic Minority Achievement grant, (iii) The Excellence in Cities grant and (iv) the Sure Start grant. [28083]
Dr. Whitehead: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Standard Spending Assessment
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average SSA is in 2002 for councils and local authority areas in England. [32109]
Dr. Whitehead: The average SSA for 2002–03 in England across all 432 local authorities is £115.190 million. Different classes of authority provide different services. The table shows the average SSA by class of authority.
| Class of authority | Average SSA |
|---|---|
| City of London | 54.645 |
| Inner London boroughs | 281.295 |
| Outer London boroughs | 236.383 |
| Greater London authority | 1,168.594 |
| Metropolitan district councils | 297.089 |
| Metropolitan fire authorities | 64.521 |
| Metropolitan police authorities | 150.103 |
| Shire district councils | 9.891 |
| Shire county councils | 491.364 |
| Shire unitary authorities | 163.422 |
| Shire police authorities | 60.378 |
| Isles of Scilly | 3.192 |
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Noise and Nuisance
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much funding his Department has allocated to tackling noise and nuisance in Buckinghamshire in each of the last five years. [32174]
Dr. Whitehead: Local authority revenue expenditure on noise reduction is covered by the district level sub-block of environmental, protective and cultural services. Allocations for individual services within the sub-block are not identified separately.
High Hedges
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to publish his Department's guidance on disputes between neighbours about high hedges and overhanging trees; and how such disputes may be amicably resolved. [33945]
Ms Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas) on 10 December 2001, Official Report, columns 584–85W.
Departmental Studies
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many studies initiated since 1997 have covered subjects that have previously been the subject of studies by his Department since 1972. [32959]
Dr. Whitehead [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Department initiates studies on a wide range of issues relevant to particular aspects of its policy areas. Many policy areas are the subject of more than one study. To carry out a precise analysis of all the studies undertaken since 1997 and the policy areas they address would entail unreasonable cost. Results of studies and research projects are regularly announced on the DTLR website.
Buses
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total public sector subsidy for buses was, at current prices, in each year between 1991 and 2001. [32956]
Ms Keeble [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The figures are shown in table 19 of the DTLR publication "A Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics GB: 2001 edition", which is in the Libraries of the House.
Essen Plan
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2002, Official Report, column 321W, ref 31544, if it is his policy to build a new dual carriageway or motorway link through mid-Wales along the route of the link in the Essen plan. [33393]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Essen plan includes the Ireland-UK-Benelux road link, of which sections of the A5 as well as roads in Wales form part. A study to consider safety and environmental problems on the A5 and A483 between Shrewsbury
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and Chester is due to report this spring and its recommendations will be carefully considered. Any recommendation for improvements to highways in Wales will be considered by the devolved Administration.
Road Safety
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library legal advice received by his Department about the use of repeater signs in 30mph speed limits. [32943]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 4 February 2002]: Legislation on the use of repeater signs in lit 30mph speed limits is already available in the Library. Direction 10 of the statutory instrument: traffic signs regulations and general directions 1994 provides that repeater signs shall be placed at regular intervals on all roads except restricted roads or on any road where the national speed limit is in force.
Section 82 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 describes a restricted road as a road which there is a system of street lighting placed not more than 200 yards apart.
Roads Investment
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what total public sector investment was in roads, at current prices, in each year between 1991 and 2001. [32955]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 4 February 2002]: Figures for years up to 1999–2000 are published in table 1.16 of transport statistics Great Britain (TSGB) 2001, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House. Figures for 2000–01 are not yet available.
Cycling
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to introduce a law compelling cyclists to have bells. [32845]
Mr. Spellar: The Department is considering this in its review of regulations dealing with safety standards for pedal cycles.
Urban Capacity Studies
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on how many local authorities have produced urban capacity studies (a) before 7 March 2000 and (b) since 7 March 2000; and how many of these are in accordance with the good practice guidance in "Tapping the Potential" published in December 2000. [33424]
Ms Keeble: We have a major research project under way looking at the implementation of the policies set out in planning policy guidance note 3 "housing" (PPG3). The research will report the progress made by local authorities in carrying out the urban housing capacity studies expected by PPG3 and the extent to which these reflect the guidance set out in "Tapping the Potential".
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