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24 Feb 2003 : Column 294W—continued

Strategic Rail Authority

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations provided (a) legal, (b) financial and (c) auditing services valued at over £25,000 to the Strategic Rail Authority in 2002. [98339]

Mr. Jamieson: In the calendar year 2002, the following firms provided legal, financial and audit services with a value of over £25,000:

Firm	Advice
Cobbetts	Legal
Eversheds	Legal
Field Fisher Waterhouse	Legal
Mills and Reeve	Legal
Rees and Freres	Legal
HMPGLCD	Legal
Hollingsworth Bissell	Legal
Linklaters	Legal
Thomas Edgar Church Adams	Legal
PriceWaterhouseCoopers	Legal
Clifford Chance	Legal
Vizards	Legal
C. Hoare and Co	Legal
Brodies	Legal
KPMG	Legal
Arups	Legal
Gibb	Legal
Booz Allen and Hamilton	Financial
Eversheds	Financial
Lazard Brothers and Co	Financial
KPMG	Financial
Linklaters and Paines	Financial
Marsh UK Ltd.	Financial
Nichols Group	Financial
PriceWaterhouseCoopers	Financial
Operis Group	Financial
PKF	Financial
KPMG	Audit
PriceWaterhouseCoopers	Audit
PKF	Audit
Baker Tilley	Audit
Ernst and Young	Audit

Thames Gateway

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to establish a light rail link to Dagenham Dock and Rainham. [98711]

Mr. Jamieson: None. Light rail schemes in London are a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London.

Traffic Calming

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines and duties there are for local authorities on the imposition of traffic calming measures in mixed residential and industrial areas. [98865]

Mr. Jamieson: There is no specific duty on local highway authorities to impose traffic calming measures. However, they may wish to consider introducing them

24 Feb 2003 : Column 295W

to meet their duty to have, as far as practicable, safe movement of traffic on roads within their area. Any measures implemented must be in accordance with the "Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1999" or the "Highways (Traffic Calming) Regulations 1999", including the requirement to consult with representatives of those likely to be affected. The Department has issued guidance on traffic calming including Traffic Advisory Leaflets, and the Road Safety Good Practice Guide and has contributed to guidelines published by professional bodies.

Traffic Light Repairs

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what guidelines and duties there are for local authorities on the prompt repair of traffic lights; [98866]

(2) what (a) guidance he gives and (b) duties are laid upon local authorities, to repair defective traffic lights within a specified period. [98445]

Mr. Jamieson: Technical Standard TD24, All-Purpose Trunk Roads Inspection and Maintenance of Traffic Signals and Associated Equipment, was produced by the Highways Agency for their roads but also provides guidance to local authorities. It includes reference to non-routine maintenance. Faults causing safety hazards or unacceptable delay to road users should be attended as a matter of urgency with cover available 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Response and repair times will depend on the particular local circumstances and will be subject to contractual arrangements between local authorities and their contractors. TD24 is part of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and is available from the Stationary Office.

Local authorities also have a general duty to secure the "expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic (including pedestrians)" under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Transport Schemes (Appraisal Review)

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce his review of the system for appraising new transport schemes; what the terms of reference are for the review; and when he hopes to complete the review. [98620]

Mr. Jamieson: The system for appraising new transport schemes is updated and revised periodically. At present, we are undertaking revisions to reflect the guidance in the Treasury's revised Green Book, "Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government", published on 17 January 2003, and expect to issue these early in March 2003. We have undertaken research into assessing regeneration impacts following publication of the 1999 SACTRA (Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment) report, "Transport and the Economy". The results of Phase 1 of this work are published on the Department's website. We expect draft revised guidance on this topic to be issued in mid-2003.

24 Feb 2003 : Column 296W

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carrier Orders

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what proportion of the cost of designing and building the two recently ordered aircraft carriers is to be paid to (a) BAE Systems and (b) Thales; [98313]

(2) how the programme to design and build the two recently ordered aircraft carriers is to be shared between BAE Systems and Thales; and if he will make a statement. [98312]

Mr. Ingram: Our two new Future Aircraft Carriers (CVFs) have not yet been ordered. On 30 January 2003, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced the way forward for CVF. Our conclusion was that, to obtain value for money and provide the best capability, an alliance approach would offer the best meansof delivering a programme of this magnitude. We envisage that the alliance will be led by BAE Systems as the preferred Prime Contractor, with responsibility for project and shipbuilding management. Thales UK will assume a major role as the Key Supplier of the whole ship design. We intend the Ministry of Defence to take up a formal role within the Alliance. Negotiations on the alliance arrangements are now underway, and it is therefore not yet possible to state what proportion of the costs will be paid to BAE Systems or Thales. It is not intended to place the Prime Contract for the Demonstration and Manufacture phase of the CVF programme, during which the ships will actually be built, until the spring of 2004.

Biochemical Protection Suits

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Marines personnel scheduled for deployment to the Gulf (i) have been and (ii) will be issued with CBW protection suits. [98412]

Mr. Ingram: All Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel deployed to the Gulf will have access to sufficient CBW suits to meet our contingency plans.

Coastal Security

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the ability of the Royal Navy to (a) monitor and (b) prevent the landing of (i) terrorists and (ii) illegal immigrants from small boats on UK beaches. [98239]

Mr. Ingram: The Home Office is responsible for United Kingdom counter-terrorism policy, and the lead for domestic security lies with the civil authorities. Royal Navy ships conduct many routine operations and exercises around the United Kingdom throughout the year, and any of these ships could be diverted to meet a requirement at the specific request of the civil authorities. In addition, the Fleet Ready Escort, a Frigate or Destroyer continuously available at a high state of readiness, is at short notice to respond to any incident in United Kingdom waters.

24 Feb 2003 : Column 297W

Correspondence

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 7 November, Official Report, column 477W, when he will write to the hon. Member for Reading, East. [87217]

Dr. Moonie: I replied to my hon. Friend today.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purpose is of the Defence Export Services organisation; what its net cost was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [95794]

Mr. Ingram: The purpose of the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) is to support legitimate defence exports, co-ordinating Government assistance to United Kingdom defence exporters and overseas customers interested in acquiring United Kingdom defence products.

The net operating costs of DESO and related support functions over the last five financial years are as follows:

Financial Year	£ million
1997–98	14.380
1998–99	16.010
1999–2000	13.735
2000–01	12.360
2001–02	11.007

These costs are more than offset by financial benefits to the Defence budget arising from DESO's activities including economies of scale generated by exports for the Ministry of Defence's own procurement.

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