Examination of Witnesses (Questions 240-258)
DEREK TWIGG
MP
19 APRIL 2006
Q240 Chairman: Minister, I wonder
if I can ask you one or two simple questions.
Derek Twigg: There is always a
danger on this, Mrs Dunwoody.
Q241 Chairman: I am a very uncomplicated
woman and my questions are terribly uncomplicated. When is your
new post with the responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's
policy going to be filled?
Derek Twigg: As soon as possible.
Q242 Chairman: A week, a month? Have
you started the advertising?
Derek Twigg: As soon as possible.
I would hope by the autumn and before the end of the year, hopefully.
Q243 Chairman: You could send us
a copy of the advertisement that you put out?
Derek Twigg: When we do it we
will do so, yes.
Q244 Chairman: Preferable within
the next fortnight. What grade are you advertising?
Derek Twigg: That is currently
being determined.
Q245 Chairman: So you want it, but
you do not know when you are going to advertise it and you do
not know what grade it is going to be?
Derek Twigg: The new structure
has only recently gone into place and we have been evaluating
that and looking at how we can improve things. There has been
a number of issues around stations recently. For instance, you
would know we have just launched the Access For All Fund, £370
million, to improve access at stations for disabled and other
people and the issues around franchises, et cetera, and, of course,
security at stations. We are currently considering that and as
soon as we come to a conclusion about those issues, I will certainly
write to you and let you have that information.
Q246 Chairman: As soon as. What sort
of timetable are you envisaging?
Derek Twigg: I would imagine we
would have somebody—
Q247 Chairman: I can write to you
every week, I am not above that.
Derek Twigg: I can say as soon
as we can, Mrs Dunwoody.
Q248 Chairman: Of course. I do apologise
but I am still not absolutely clear what the Cabinet's position
is. Do you intend, in each of the new franchises, as they fall
vacant, to write in a requirement for standards of safety in stations
that you expect the train operating companies to adhere to?
Derek Twigg: In terms of South
Western franchise, we have asked for a station accreditation for
80% of footfall. On a franchise by franchise basis, we will look
at that and put in a particular requirement by improving security.
We are not going to be prescriptive about every station but we
will put in requirements depending on that particular franchise.
Q249 Chairman: I do not think franchises
are awarded on individual stations are they, Minister, or has
it changed?
Derek Twigg: No.
Q250 Chairman: Let us start again.
When the franchise comes up, is it the Government's intention
to include a requirement for safety in stations?
Derek Twigg: Yes.
Q251 Chairman: Unspecified?
Derek Twigg: As I say, we will
hopefully learn lessons from what we are doing now.
Q252 Chairman: I see. How will you
reach that standard agreement? What are the standards that you
are going to ask for? Are they going to be the ones that you asked
for in the franchise that has just been agreed?
Derek Twigg: It is likely to be
but clearly this is the first time we have gone through this process
on a franchise. Clearly we want to evaluate what has taken place,
there is the BTP and the bidders approach to this in terms of
the individual stations and the percentage of those that should
be included. We will look at that and assess that but we will
include in every franchise now an issue of personal security.
Q253 Chairman: More than once today
you have mentioned how efficient BTP were, how you rely on them
for the gathering of information, how you rely on them for the
efficient policing of trains and of stations. It is Government's
view that we should retain a specialised force of police officers
funded by the industry and partially administered by Government,
is that right?
Derek Twigg: As you know we are
due another hearing on this next week. I will say to you on this,
clearly we have narrowed our review down to two options which
are to abolish them or to look at a re-focus BTP which I am sure
we will go in to in more detail next week. That is currently where
we are and we hope to complete that process by around May.
Q254 Chairman: When are you going
to complete your research into the whole question of crime on
stations?
Derek Twigg: The specific research
that we have already asked for, which is taking place now, that
will be later this year.
Q255 Chairman: Later, will that be
after?
Derek Twigg: As soon as we can
do it but it will be at a later point this year. It will be in
the very near future.
Q256 Chairman: The timetable will
be that at some point quite soon we are going to advertise for
the role of someone who will co-ordinate policy on stations.
Derek Twigg: With the Department,
yes.
Q257 Chairman: That person once they
are appointed, you will tell us not only when that is going to
be and what their grade is going to be, that person will then
have the responsibility of drawing together all of these different
strands and formulating a policy that will enable us all to feel
totally safe on the railway system?
Derek Twigg: We are working with
ministers as we formulate policies on the system, yes.
Q258 Chairman: Good. Is there anything
else you would like to enlighten us with this afternoon?
Derek Twigg: No, I think that
is about all, Mrs Dunwoody.
Chairman: It has all been very revealing.
Thank you ever so much, Minister, we are very grateful to you
and I am sure we will see you again ere long.
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