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Casinos
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the report in the Times on 26 October that the Nevada Gaming Control Board has imposed fines upon MGM Mirage for failing to comply with United States measures to combat money laundering; and whether the report is correct in stating that MGM Mirage plans to develop super casinos in Newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield and London. [HL4662]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey): I understand that the Gaming Board for Great Britain had already been made aware of this matter before it was reported in the press here, and had been able to consider it as part of its consideration of the company's fitness to be involved in the operation of a casino in Great Britain. It is not for the Government to speak for the company's business plan.
Child Support Agency: Debt Write-off
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much debt from non-resident parents was written off by the Child Support Agency in the year to March 2004; and whether this sum has been made up by the Government to the parents within care to whom it was owed. [HL4706]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): The agency does not have powers of debt write-off and therefore no debt in respect of non-resident parents was written off in the year to March 2004.
Disability Discrimination Act 1995: Railways
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate of the cost of making surface rail and London Underground trains and stations fully compliant with the provisions envisaged in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [HL4631]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The costs of requiring all trains to be compliant with the regulations made under the DDA will depend on the date that by which time all non-compliant rolling stock must be made
4 Nov 2004 : Column WA48
accessible. We consulted earlier this year on our proposals for setting an end date for all rolling stock to comply with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations. This indicated the Government's preferred date of 2025. The total capital costs of meeting that date are currently estimated at £33.4 million for surface rail and £71.1 million for the London Underground.
No estimate is available for the costs of making all stations accessible. However the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is planning to consult soon on its draft disability strategy, which we expect will consider how best to allocate resources to help station operators to meet their obligations under Part 3 of the DDA.
London Underground is committed to improving access and has developed a key network strategy. The strategy identifies 100 stations across the network (in addition 40 are already accessible), which covers all lines and major branches and gives good opportunities for accessible interchange both between lines and with other modes. Other stations will be linked to those on the key network by fully accessible bus services.
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