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Railways
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many franchise agreements with train operating companies include provisions for the Government to underwrite any part of the franchise in the event of the regulatory system changing. [46968]
Mr. Byers: All franchise agreements remove the regulatory risk or opportunity arising from a change to track and station access charges, following a regulatory review, so that the franchise operator makes no windfall profit or loss as a result of the change.
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Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has for increasing the percentage of the rail network that is electrified. [49709]
Mr. Byers: Rail electrification schemes will be considered where clear practical advantages and/or environmental benefits exist, and value for money can be demonstrated.
Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate the cost of repairs necessary on (a) the East Coast and (b) the West Coast main lines to Scotland. [48835]
Mr. Jamieson: This is an operational matter for Railtrack.
Train Punctuality
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with (a) First Western Trains and (b) Wales and West Trains to produce a strategy to improve punctuality. [48602]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has regular meetings with all train operators regarding train performance, at which punctuality and reliability of services are discussed. In the Directions and Guidance published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 April, the SRA has been given a primary objective to work with the rail industry to achieve substantial lasting improvements in performance. The Directions and Guidance has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Rail Fares
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much additional funding would be generated if regulated rail fares rise by the retail prices index in the 10-year plan. [47385]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority estimates that a 10 per cent. increase in regulated fares might generate an increase of between 4 and 6 per cent. in fare revenue.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Departmental Spending
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total expenditure was on (a) advertising, (b) polling, (c) focus groups, (d) design consultants, (e) caterers, (f) production of departmental publications and (g) photographs/ photographers by her Department for each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; what was (A) the annual percentage increase in spending on each category and (B) spending on each category as a percentage of the total departmental running costs; and if she will make a statement. [6902]
Mr. Morley: DEFRA was created on 8 June 2001. Historic information prior to this date, relating to the merged operations which constitute DEFRA, could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
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Publicity expenditure is not recorded in the format requested. Our records show a publicity spend for the six months following DEFRA's creation of £1,373,737 and includes the categories in the question.
This expenditure is not exhaustive and excludes foot and mouth disease expenditure and the merged ex-DETR directorates, also non-departmental public bodies and agencies. The recovery of this expenditure would incur a disproportionate cost.
The Government are committed to using only whatever channel is judged to be the most cost-effective way to deliver the publicity necessary to support the implementation of policy. Paid advertising is resorted to only after careful consideration.
Sustainable Development
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken in response to the (a) ECE Regional Assessment report on progress made in the implementation of Local Agenda 21, (b) conclusions on sustainable development of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting of May 2001 and (c) EU Sustainable Development Strategy of June 2001. [46568]
Mr. Meacher: (a) The ECE Regional Assessment report covered the implementation of Agenda 21, not Local Agenda 21. The UK has promoted the conclusions of the report in subsequent discussions in the EU and the UN in preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
(b) The OECD Policy Report on Sustainable Development was endorsed by environment and finance Ministers at the OECD Ministerial Committee Meeting on 17 May 2001. The report outlines a policy framework for better integrating economic, environmental and social objectives, and decoupling economic growth from a range of environmental pressures. In response to the report, my Department has been closely involved in an initiative to develop indicators of sustainable development for use in OECD peer reviews. We have used the report to inform our approach to the external dimension of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and to the OECD's institutional report to the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
(c) The Department has supported the implementation of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy through conclusions adopted by the Environment Council on 12 December 2000 and 4 March 2001, and at regular meetings with the European Commission and member states; reviewing the strategy is the responsibility of the European Council at its annual spring meetings.
Rural Public Houses
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the Countryside Agency's 'The Pub's the Hub' campaign; and if she will make a statement. [46453]
Alun Michael: The concept of the pub being "the hub" of the rural community is being promoted by Business in the Community as part of its Rural Action programme launched in July 2001. Rural pubs have great potential to assume a business and community role in the future as
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one-stop shops for essential rural services while at the same time helping them to increase their own long term viability.
In December 2001 the Countryside Agency, working with Business in the Community and the British Beer and Pubs Association published "The Pub is the Hub: a Good Practice Guide". This guide provides local case studies of village pub diversification, and a check list for expanding business opportunities.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Publicity Expenditure
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the publicity and advertising campaigns run by her Department in each of the last four years, specifying the (a) purpose, (b) cost to public funds, (c) number of staff involved and (d) method of evaluation in each case. [39091]
Ms Hewitt: The table lists the costs of DTI advertising campaigns through the COI for the last four years for which final figures are available. Information regarding the purpose, number of staff involved, and method of evaluation for each campaign is not held centrally, and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
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