| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Railtrack
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his policy is on supporting a bid for Railtrack plc in administration which has not been subject to due diligence. [47993]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 10 April 2001]: The extent of due diligence undertaken by any bidder for Railtrack plc is a matter for them. It is for the Administrator to determine the appropriate arrangements for access to the company. Network Rail, and any other potential bidders would need to address the issues set out in the guidelines issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 31 October 2001.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the bid from Network Rail for Railtrack Plc was received by the administrator. [47988]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 10 April 2002]: This is a matter for the Administrator.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answers of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 956W, refs. 45677 and 45678, on Railtrack, if the 10-year plan budget assumes a 2 per cent. annual reduction in real terms of Railtrack's overall income, including track access charges and network grants, for Control Period 2. [49838]
Mr. Jamieson: No. The £33.5 billion of public sector funding for rail in the 10-year plan takes account of Railtrack's regulated income in Control Period 2 as
16 Apr 2002 : Column 807W
outlined in the Regulator's October 2000 periodic review and the April 2001 agreement between Government and Railtrack.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the dates on which he or officials from his Department have met representatives of Railtrack shareholders since 8 October 2001. [49790]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 15 April 2002]: It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with his French counterparts regarding the security of the channel tunnel rail link. [49686]
Mr. Spellar: Both Ministers and the Department are in regular contact with the French Government about security issues at the channel tunnel.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he has taken since November 2001 with regard to (a) his French ministerial counterpart and (b) the European Commissioner for Transport on (i) the disruption to rail freight facilities through the channel tunnel and (ii) the suspension of rail freight services through the channel tunnel. [49034R]
Mr. Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on Tuesday 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 957W.
Freight
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average journey length made by road hauliers to collect freight from the rail system to transfer it to its destination in the last 12 months. [49715]
Mr. Byers: The average journey length made by road hauliers to collect freight from the rail system during 2000 was 53 kilometres. This is the latest figure available.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average journey length made by road hauliers to take freight to transfer onto the railway system in the last 12 months. [49714]
Mr. Byers: The average journey length made by road hauliers to transfer freight onto the railway system in 2000 was 74 kilometres. This is the latest figure available.
Public Transport
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on European discussions about liberalisation of public transport, as discussed at the Barcelona Summit. [49816]
16 Apr 2002 : Column 808W
Mr. Spellar: The Barcelona European Council conclusions called for the adoption by December 2002 of the Regulation on public service contracts. This proposal is intended to stimulate more efficient and attractive public transport through the use of regulated competition and other measures and to promote legal certainty for authorities and operators. Several Council working groups have already taken place, and further meetings are scheduled. The Commission gave a progress report on the proposal to the Transport Council on 26 March 2002. Ministers have also discussed the draft Regulation during a number of bilaterals with their European counterparts. The European Parliament has yet to schedule a date for further debate on the proposal.
The European Council in Barcelona also called on the Council to pursue work on the second railways package. The Commission's second railways package, published on 23 January, includes a proposal to complete liberalisation of the rail freight market by extending it to all domestic traffic including cabotage. The package also envisages further liberalisation of the passenger market, on which the Commission expects to bring forward specific proposals as part of its programme for the next five years. There was an initial Ministerial discussion of the package at the March Transport Council, but so far no further discussions have been scheduled.
Trans European Networks
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy on the Trans European Networks. [49820]
Mr. Spellar: The Government supports the development of the European transport network. On 3 October 2001, the European Commission adopted proposals to amend the guidelines which govern the development of the network. An Explanatory Memorandum (12597) on the proposals was submitted to Parliament on 2 November 2001. Following a formal public consultation exercise, the Government remains very concerned about the Commission's proposal to add six new priority transport projects to the list at Annex III to the guidelines.
On 3 January 2002 the Commission adopted a proposal to amend the Regulation which lays down general rules for Community financing of the trans-European networks. An Explanatory Memorandum (15111) on that proposal was submitted to Parliament on 31 January. The Memorandum makes clear that the Government does not support the Commission's proposal to increase the maximum level of EU support for certain transport projects from 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of total investment costs.
10-year Plan
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 961W, ref 45348, on which of these projects (a) the high-level feasibility stage has been completed and (b) the detailed development work has begun. [49822]
Mr. Jamieson: Significant elements of all of the schemes listed as commitments on page 49 of the SRA's Strategic Plan are currently being implemented or are at a detailed stage of development. Of the schemes listed as priorities by 2010 the table sets out their status.
16 Apr 2002 : Column 809W
The schemes listed for further development are all at the pre-feasibility or initial study stage.
Railways
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information on the division of investment in rail projects between train operators, rolling stock leasing companies and infrastructure investment under the 10-year transport plan will be given to private investors. [49028R]
Mr. Jamieson: Information on estimated private sector investment in rail, in total and by type, has been set out in the 10-year Plan and the SRA Strategic Plan.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many former regional railways franchises have received funding from the SRA in addition to their original franchise deals; and if he will make a statement on the nature and extent of this funding. [49725]
Mr. Byers: Details are, or will be, provided in the relevant annual reports of the Strategic Rail Authority and the franchising director. Copies of reports already published have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what rights Network Rail has to draw upon the proposed £9 billion bridging loan from the SRA. [49870]
Mr. Jamieson: The Network Rail proposal, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA to enable Network Rail to raise up to £9 billion bridging finance from private sector lenders to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible. This would be refinanced through the capital markets on a longer term, securitised basis later in the year. The SRA credit facility would only be called upon (as a loan) to enable Network Rail to repay the bridging loans in the extremely unlikely event of Network Rail being unable to access the capital markets for these longer term loans.
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the underwriting of the debt of
16 Apr 2002 : Column 810W
Network Rail by means of potential emergency loans from the Strategic Rail Authority and his estimate of the maximum potential liability to the taxpayer. [47957]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The Network Rail proposal, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA to enable Network Rail to raise bridging finance—to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible—and to provide a longer term backstop loan facility, which would only be used by the company in specified circumstances as a last resort.
The size of the credit facility is subject to negotiation, but would be expected to reduce over time as knowledge of the asset condition and cost causation improves. Once negotiations are completed, details of any credit facility that created a contingent liability would be notified formally to Parliament in accordance with established procedures.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guarantees the Government provide for debt raised by Network Rail. [47514]
Mr. Spellar: The Network Rail proposal, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA to enable Network Rail to raise bridging finance—to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible—and to provide a longer term back stop loan facility, which would only be used by the company in specified circumstances as a last resort.
The size of the credit facility is subject to negotiation, but would be expected to reduce over time as knowledge of the asset condition and cost causation improves. Once negotiations are completed, details of any credit facility that created a contingent liability would be notified formally to Parliament in accordance with established procedures.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of the rail network is electrified. [49707]
Mr. Byers: I understand that just over one third of the rail network is currently equipped with electrification.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans there are to increase integration of rail networks on a European level; and if he will make a statement. [49687]
16 Apr 2002 : Column 811W
Mr. Spellar: The Commission published its second railway package on 23 January. This includes formal proposals to complete liberalisation of the European rail freight market, on safety, interoperability, the creation of a European Rail Agency and Community accession to the COTIF convention (the convention concerning international carriage by rail).
The Government share the Commission's objective of enhancing the role of railways in our transport system through greater efficiency and higher quality services and therefore welcomes publication of the package. We will be consulting widely on the package before reaching a formal position on the proposals and in particular will be concerned to ensure they do not impose unreasonable costs.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |