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Network Rail
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the state aid rules as they apply to Network Rail; [48188]
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Mr. Jamieson: If Network Rail's offer for Railtrack plc's shares is successful any financial support provided to the company by Government would be notified to the European Commission as a potential state aid.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if Network Rail will be able to replace commercial debt with standby loans from the SRA at a later date. [48187]
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether his Department is statutorily obliged to meet additional costs resulting from an interim review of Railtrack's finances. [47398]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 2002, Official Report, column 783W.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who holds responsibility for deciding whether Network Rail takes over the network. [48184]
Mr. Jamieson: It is for Railtrack Group to consider, with its shareholders, the proposal from Network Rail for the purchase of its shares in Railtrack plc. If the proposal is accepted, the Secretary of State would in due course need to consider the exercise of his powers under the change of control provisions in the existing network licence held by Railtrack plc. In addition, the Court would need to order, on an application by my right hon. Friend, that the Railways Administration Order should be discharged. It is for the Administrators to decide how to continue with their process in the light of their responsibilities and the proposal that has been made.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the funding of Network Rail or another successor to Railtrack for Control Period 3. [48183]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 956W.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the directors and putative directors of Network Rail and their previous experience (a) in the railway industry and (b) in business. [47121]
Mr. Jamieson: The details of its proposals are a matter for Network Rail.
Channel Tunnel
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he last spoke to his French counterpart about rail freight carriage through the Channel Tunnel. [47512]
Mr. Jamieson: Ministers maintain regular contacts with their Friends counterparts on this issue.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with (a) the EU Transport Commissioner and (b) the French Transport Minister on the indefinite suspension of the Channel Tunnel rail
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freight facilities; what assessment he has made of the impact on his rail freight target of the indefinite suspension of the Channel Tunnel rail freight facilities; and if he will make a statement. [47915]
Mr. Jamieson: My Department, and others, are in regular contact with both the European Commission and the French Government on this matter.
We will be producing a review of the 10 Year Plan in July this year.
South West Trains
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how the upgrades to the South West Trains routes will be transferred from a special purpose vehicle into operation when they are completed in 2004. [47397]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 4 February, Official Report, columns 728W and 729W, as well as my right hon. Friend's answer to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 18 March, Official Report, column 21W.
London Underground
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what reason the public sector comparator with the London Underground PPP includes the management costs associated with the administration of the private sector contracts. [47511]
Mr. Jamieson: The Public Sector Comparator does not include any London Underground management costs associated with managing the private sector PPP contracts. It is London Underground's view that any public sector alternative would incur similar contract management costs in aggregate. As a result, such costs have been excluded from the value for money analysis, because they would not differentiate between the options.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the draft comfort letters that he is intending to issue in respect of the London Underground PPP. [48293]
Mr. Byers: I have decided to extend the consultation period for the comfort letters laid before this House on 20 March. This will provide the customary notification period.
Brownfield Developments
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans there are to (a) cut taxes on brownfield developments and (b) introduce incentives to encourage builders away from green fields. [48589]
Ms Keeble: Budget 2001 introduced a tax relief for cleaning up contaminated land, 100 per cent. capital allowances for developing flats over shops and a number of VAT reliefs to encourage conversions and the renovation of empty property. From 30 November 2001, land and property transactions worth up to £150,000 in the UK's most deprived communities have
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also been exempt from stamp duty. The aim of this fiscal package is to encourage and create incentives for the re-development of brownfield land and re-use of empty property, helping to protect greenfield sites.
Any further changes to taxation policy are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor.
Housing (VAT)
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans there are to (a) abolish VAT on the renovation and conversion of existing houses and (b) to introduce VAT on building new houses. [48590]
Ms Keeble: Budget 2001 reduced the rate of VAT to 5 per cent. on the renovation of dwellings empty for three years or longer and on residential conversions that result in a change in the number of dwellings. Budget 2001 also introduced an adjustment to the zero rate of VAT to provide relief for the sale of renovated houses that have been empty for 10 years or more.
Any further changes to VAT policy are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor.
Mobile Phones
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what conclusion he has drawn from the research by TRL on the effect of mobile phones on driver concentration; and if he will make a statement. [48194]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer Wednesday 10 April 2002]: The report confirms advice given in the Highway Code that drivers should never use hand-held phones while driving and that using a hand-free phone is also likely to distract a driver's attention from the road.
Airport Security
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what extra security measures his Department has taken at (a) London City Airport and (b) Gatwick Airport since 11 September 2001. [47375]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer Wednesday 10 April 2002]: Following the attacks on 11 September, heightened aviation security measures were introduced at all UK airports, including London City and Gatwick, and for all airlines operating from the UK. Security remains at an enhanced level, with the measures applying equally at all UK airports. We do not discuss the details of our aviation security requirements.
Inquiry Costs
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost was of the (a) inquiry into the Clapham Rail Crash on 12 December 1998, (b) Sheen Inquiry into the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster on 6 March 1997, (c) Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry after the collision of 5 October 1999, (d) Marchioness Inquiry, (e) Piper Alpha Inquiry and (f) Southall Rail crash Inquiry. [48031]
Mr. Jamieson: The cost of the public inquiries are as follows:
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(a) Clapham Inquiry—figures could only be retrieved at disproportionate cost
(b) Herald of Free Enterprise Inquiry—figures could only be retrieved at disproportionate cost
(c) Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry—£7.0 million
(d) Marchioness Inquiry—£5.1 million
(e) Piper Alpha Inquiry—a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
(f) Southall Rail Inquiry—£2.25 million.
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