Examination of Witnesses (Questions 300
- 304)
WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 2005
MR TONY
MCNULTY
MP AND MR
BOB LINNARD
Q300 Chairman: Is that one of the
things you carry in your head, Mr Linnard?
Mr Linnard: It is on a piece of
paper in front of me.
Q301 Chairman: That is much more
useful.
Mr Linnard: The forecast is £365
million for this financial year.
Q302 Chairman: When you are doing
your calculations—bus versus tram—do you take account
of the fact that that £365 million ought to be part of the
calculation?
Mr Linnard: Yes.
Q303 Chairman: We have your word
on that. Thank you very much indeed. As always, Minister, you
are very good value and we enjoy listening to you and questioning
you. I think I would only ask you one thing in closing: I think
it is admirable that you are so open to different flexibilities,
but could you accept that this might produce some difficulties
for local authorities who want to come to you with particular
schemes? What you are saying, in effect, is: "We won't tell
them that we have a template", but, on the other hand there
must be things that you are going to turn down. Is there any likelihood
that you would be prepared to say to the local authorities concerned:
"There are a number of options and these are what they are"?
Would that not be, at least, a more targeted, a more structured
way of giving them some idea of how to move forward? Surely, it
is not helpful to have them doing very complicated schemes and
then be told by you: "No, it does not comply"?
Mr McNulty: I think that would
be right if we did not engage with them at any stage before they
came up with a project or scheme. What we are seeking far more
than we have done in the past is to have that engagement, that
discussion, about what might be the most appropriate thing for
any particular local authority, long, long before they are committing
either funds, expertise or resources into working on that definitive
scheme. So we do stand ready to help at the earliest opportunity,
which is perhaps what did not prevail enough in the past.
Q304 Chairman: On that hopeful note,
thank you very much for giving evidence to us. We shall look forward
to your being in the Department after the next General Election.
Mr McNulty: Unless I am run over
by a train in the interim!
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