| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Local Authority Housing Stock Transfers
30. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much has been set aside for debt write-off connected to large scale transfers of council housing stock (a) in respect of properties already transferred and (b) to cover planned transfers. [55559]
Ms Keeble: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, North (Mr. Hopkins) on Friday 12 April 2002, Official Report, column 628W.
Public Transport (Heathrow)
31. Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his assessment is of the impact Terminal 5's extra passengers will have on M4 traffic to the west of Heathrow; and how he intends to improve public transport to Heathrow from the west. [55560]
21 May 2002 : Column 211W
Mr. Jamieson: Public transport access and impact on the road network were considered at length during the Terminal 5 inquiry. In approving Terminal 5, the Secretary of State decided that questions about widening the M4 in the Heathrow area and improving Junctions 3 and 4 should be referred to the London to Reading Multi-Modal Study. The Strategic Rail Authority is actively working with BAA to develop proposals for rail service improvements including the possibility of new and improved rail links to the west.
Housing Market Renewal Fund
32. Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in setting up a housing market renewal fund. [55561]
Ms Keeble: We are making excellent progress in pursuing our objective to turn round the incidence of low demand by 2010.
Last month my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions announced that we are inviting nine areas to work with the Government in developing pathfinders to tackle low demand and abandoned housing.
Last Thursday my right hon. Friend announced that £25 million was being made available from the Capital Modernisation Fund for investment in the nine pathfinder areas. This will enable each pathfinder to start early the process of preparing a strategic plan and inform future investment.
Local Election Turnouts
34. Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what evaluation has been made of pilot schemes to encourage higher turnout in local elections. [55563]
Dr. Whitehead: The Electoral Commission began its evaluation of the pilot schemes on 3 May and will report to the Secretary of State by 2 August 2002. The evaluation will provide a detailed assessment of the impact of new voting methods on election turnout and voting.
Early indications are that postal voting has boosted turnout and the various electronic means of voting have been positively received.
Council Tax
35. Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has for the reform of the operation of council tax. [55564]
Dr. Whitehead: In our White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services", published last December, we set out our plans for the council tax. These include first revaluation in 2007 with 10-yearly revaluations thereafter; giving local authorities discretion on discounts and exemptions; and not using the reserve capping powers for high performing authorities.
21 May 2002 : Column 212W
Road Works
36. Mr. Beard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he is taking to regulate road works on major roads. [55565]
Ms Keeble: We are introducing a range of regulatory measures to deal with disruption to road users caused by works on the street. In particular, last April we introduced powers allowing highway authorities to levy charges on utility works which are not completed to deadline. We are also piloting powers allowing authorities to levy "lane rental" on utilities for the whole duration of their works.
As to maintenance work carried out on trunk roads, the Highways Agency aims to keep to a minimum disruption caused by such works; for example, wherever possible routine maintenance is undertaken outside peak hours.
London Underground
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assumptions underlie the capital value of the London Underground public-private partnership capital value as stated in table C18 of Financial Statement and Budget report 2002 (HC592); and if he will make a statement. [53391]
Mr. Jamieson: The Financial Statement and Budget report 2002 as a whole is of course a matter for HM Treasury. Table C18 of the report refers to the £16 billion of investment and maintenance in the tube that the London Underground public-private partnerships are expected to deliver over the next 15 years. This estimate, which is in April 2002 prices, is consistent with the preferred bids for the PPP contracts. The figure is also consistent with the guidance for reporting the information in table C18 as set out in Treasury Taskforce Policy Statement (Number 5).
Local Government Officers
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on progress made on the review of political restrictions on local government officers; [54216]
- (2) if he will make a statement on his proposals to alter the political restrictions on local government officers in England and Wales. [54217]
Dr. Whitehead: We will shortly be starting the review process looking at political restrictions on local government officers and intend to publish a consultation paper containing proposals later this year.
Infrastructure Charging Research
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, (1) pursuant to his answer of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 675W, on infrastructure charging research, if he will publish figures for the cost of research commissioned by his Department, or the DETR, in each year since 1997; if he will publish the estimated cost for the forthcoming year; and if he will publish a summary of the work so far on (a) user acceptance, (b) social-spatial inclusion and
21 May 2002 : Column 213W
exclusion, (c) trade-off between practical and optimal cordon congestion charging and (d) economic geography of congestion charging; [55263]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 675W, on infrastructure charging research, when the commissioned work will terminate; and what the estimated cost of such research is up to the termination date; [55265]
21 May 2002 : Column 214W
(3) if he will make a statement on the assessment he has made of the effect of congestion charging on social-spatial inclusion and exclusion. [55264]
Mr. Byers: The annual spend, total spend and likely termination date for the projects listed in the answer of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 675W is given in the following table:
| Actual annual spend | Forecast spend | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project title | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | Totals | End |
| Demonstration of Interoperable Charging and Telematics Systems | — | — | — | — | 2,600 | 7,000 | 9,000 | 3,400 | 22,000 | December 2004 |
| Dynamic Freight Analysis | — | — | — | — | 11 | 32 | 12 | — | 55 | April 2004 |
| Economic Geography of Congestion Charging | — | — | 12 | 13 | 16 | 4 | — | — | 45 | December 2003 |
| Trade-off between practical and optimal cordon congestion charging | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 6 | — | — | 17 | December 2003 |
| Charging Appraisal Frameworks | — | — | 7 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 7 | — | 57 | December 2004 |
| Scheme Design and User Acceptance | — | — | 8 | 16 | 10 | 18 | — | — | 52 | December 2002 |
| Measuring the impacts of road user charging and the workplace parking levy on social-spatial inclusion and exclusion | — | — | — | 4 | 9 | 116 | — | — | 129 | March 2003 |
The research project summaries requested by the hon. Member are:
Scheme Design and User Acceptance
The research seeks to help local authorities select the most appropriate form of road user charging scheme for an urban area, taking into account local economic, social and environmental circumstances. To do this an "options decision matrix" has been developed; its practical validity will be assessed by applying it to a number of case study areas.
Measuring the impacts of road user charging and the workplace parking levy on social-spatial inclusion and exclusion
This work looks at the effects of road user charging and the work place parking levy on social inclusion and social exclusion, both generally and in terms of gender, ethnicity, and age. It includes contracts with the universities of Oxford and Lancaster worth a total of £116,000. The aim of the research is to provide material and advice which will assist local authorities in assessing the possible social impact of particular congestion charging scheme options.
Trade-off between practical and optimal cordon congestion charging
The research examines the balance between congestion reduction and public acceptance of cordon charging schemes. It partly involves formulating a mathematical representation of an urban charging cordon. However, it seeks to ensure that the model has practical relevance by incorporating the results of a survey of six UK local authorities. This survey looks at the design of charging cordons and their objectives and effects, and public response to them. The overall aim is to assist local authorities in the design of such schemes.
Economic Geography of Congestion Charging
The project is examining the possible links between congestion charging and the long-term use and development of land. It is assessing the effects on a case study area of various different assumptions about charging, the use of the charging revenues, and other forms of traffic restraint. Here too, the aim is to help local authorities assess the implications of possible congestion charging schemes.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |