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5 Feb 2003 : Column 271W—continued
Police Forces (UK Airports)
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of whether the disparity in the charging and cost regimes operated by different police forces in respect of UK airports (a) constitutes a distortion in the market and (b) conflicts with UK and EU competition policies; and if she will make a statement. [94523]
Miss Melanie Johnson: My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, in his reply of 3 February, in response to my hon. Friend's question number 94476, Official Report, column 34W, outlined the current arrangements for charging for police services at airports, noted the recent review of the policing of airports by Sir John Wheeler and noted the work that the Home Office and the Department for Transport are doing in response to this review. Any competition implications will be given full consideration as part of the policy process.
TRANSPORT
Congestion Tax
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Government have made of the imposition of a congestion tax under the terms of the Transport Act 2000 upon those working in (a) the office cleaning services, (b) the hotel or catering industries, (c) the entertainment industry, (d) retail businesses, (e) health and ancillary services, (f) the teaching professions, (g) the security services, (h) the fire services and (i) the police. [95545]
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Mr. Jamieson: It is for individual local authorities or, in London, the Mayor to assess the impact of any congestion charging scheme that they propose to introduce under the powers available to them in the Transport Act 2000 or the Greater London Authority Act 1999.
Freight Facility Grants
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his oral statement of 28 January 2003, Official Report, column 712, whether the budget for freight facility grants covers (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [95049]
Mr. Jamieson: My hon. Friend said in the House on 28 January that freight facility grants and track access grants in 2003–04 will account for some £40 million of expenditure, which is additional to expenditure in 2002–03.
Fuel Cards
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fuel cards issued by him have been listed as lost or stolen since 1997. [95295]
Mr. Jamieson: The Department for Transport does not issue fuel cards; and neither did its predecessor Departments since 1997.
Government Car Service
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many departmental civil servants were supplied with a motor vehicle as part of their employment package in each year since 1997. [95292]
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department received a fuel card supplied with a motor vehicle as part of their salary package in each year since 1997. [95294]
Mr. Jamieson: There are no staff in the Department supplied with a fuel card or a motor vehicle as part of their salary package. This was also true of predecessor Departments since 1997.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the make and cost of each motor vehicle supplied to (a) himself, (b) Ministers of State, (c) Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, (d) Special Advisers and (e) departmental officials as part of their employment package or terms of office in each year since 1997; and how many have been lost or stolen. [95293]
Mr. Jamieson: No Ministers or officials in my Department are supplied with cars as part of their employment package. Ministers, including myself, and the Permanent Secretary have the use of cars for official business during their term of office. During 2002 cars supplied in this way were as follows:
- (a) Secretary of State, Rover 75, £18,796
(b) Minister of State, Rover 75, £17,188
(c) Under-Secretary of State, Nissan Primera, £14,239
(d) Vehicles are not supplied to Special Advisers
(e) The Permanent Secretary, Ford Mondeo, £11,068
5 Feb 2003 : Column 273W
Under Machinery of Government changes the Department has only been in existence since 29 May 2002 and comparable figures for previous years cannot be given.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many insurance claims have been (a) lodged and (b) paid out by insurance companies as a result of motor vehicles supplied to (i) himself, (ii) Ministers of State, (iii) Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, (iv) Special Advisers and (v) departmental officials as part of their employment package or terms of office having been lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [95296]
Mr. Jamieson: One claim has been lodged with the Government Car and Despatch Agency as a result of the use of a motor vehicle supplied to Ministers or officials in the Department. This claim is for an incident in 2003. None of the vehicles has been lost or stolen. Under Machinery of Government changes the Department has only been in existence since 29 May 2002. Information for predecessor Departments is not available.
London Underground
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what agreements he has reached with the Mayor of London about the London Underground; and if he will make a statement. [95057]
Mr. Jamieson: The Government and TfL have agreed to work together to secure the transfer of the underground to TfL concurrently with, or as soon as possible after, Metronet reaching financial close for the deals to modernise the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines and the sub surface lines.
Transfer will only happen ahead of amendments being made to the Greater London Authority Act with the agreement of the PPP bidders and lenders.
This has been made possible by the Mayor's undertaking not to pursue his appeal to the state aid decision or any further legal challenge to the PPP.
Newcastle Central Station
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the decision was taken by the British Transport Police to close the station concourse area at Newcastle Central Station after 11 pm; and what plans he has to continue this arrangement. [95679]
Mr. Jamieson: A station's operating hours are the responsibility of the operator not the British Transport Police (BTP). The decision to close Newcastle Central Station at 11.30pm, after the last passenger service has departed, was taken in 1990–91 by the British Railways Board and was continued by Great North Eastern Railway. The station does partially re-open during the night to cater for passengers arriving and departing on overnight services. The BTP advised in 1993–94 that the taxi rank on the station concourse should move to council property after 11.30pm because the station was no longer open and the rank was attracting large crowds that had no connection with the station.
5 Feb 2003 : Column 274W
Office of the Rail Regulator
Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Office of the Rail Regulator's service delivery agreement for 2003 to 2006 will be published. [94210]
Mr. Jamieson: Under Treasury guidelines, a Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) is no longer required for the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR). However, ORR does produce an annual business plan and an annual report: the business plan sets out the activities and targets for the coming year and how ORR expects to deliver against its objectives; the annual report is an account to Parliament on previous progress, delivery and achievement against objectives. Both meet general SDA requirements.
Rail Freight
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent changes have taken place or are planned to funding arrangements for freight on the railways; and if he will make a statement on his Department's strategy for increasing rail freight on Britain's rail network. [94595]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority's updated strategic plan, published on 30 January, explains their priorities including those for freight.
The Government published a report on its targets and progress in meeting them in relation to the 10-year plan on 17 December 2002. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
Roads (Gloucestershire)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the grant to Gloucestershire for roads; what the backlog of road works in Gloucestershire is; and if he will make a statement. [93958]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 28 January 2003]: For the financial year 2003–04 Gloucestershire county council will receive £8.109 million for the maintenance of roads and bridges.
Based on the asset value of Gloucestershire county council's highways network the backlog of work represents approximately 4 per cent. of their asset value and predominately relates to non-principal roads.
Also, in the LTP 2002 settlement the Government agreed to provide up to £22.235 million for the Gloucester SW bypass.
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