§ 10. Mr. Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam)What plans he has to require rolling stock companies to make 103 arrangements with the franchising director and train operating companies for the planned replacement of rolling stock. [63574]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Ms Glenda Jackson)Train operating companies will have to replace or modify certain trains to meet their commitments to the franchising director and any requirements of the Health and Safety Executive. It is for the train operators to make the necessary arrangements with rolling stock companies.
§ Mr. BurstowWill the Minister go a little further and give some comfort to my constituents who, like me, use Connex South Central services daily and experience the unsatisfactory nature of many of the slam-door mark 1 trains which are still being used by that train operating company? Given that the franchise will not be extended, and given that the company says that there is no way in which it can replace those trains, is there any chance of those trains being replaced during the lifetime of this Government?
§ Ms JacksonThe Health and Safety Executive has recommended to Ministers that all mark 1 rolling stock on the network should be modified by 2003 and replaced by 2007. Ministers are considering the recommendations, and an announcement will be made shortly. The hon. Gentleman referred to difficulties being experienced by certain train operating companies. Those companies showed no reluctance to bid competitively for the relevant franchises, and it is for them to meet their commitments and any requirements placed on them by the Health and Safety Executive.
§ Mr. Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby)Will my hon. Friend confirm that the planned rail summit in February will include representations from the roscos, so that constituents such as mine can look forward to an enhanced performance and an improved quality of rolling stock in the short term, rather than the long term?
§ Ms JacksonI can confirm that the rolling stock companies will be present at the rail summit on 25 February. My hon. Friend touches on yet another example of the lamentable failure of the previous Administration who, during rail privatisation, ensured that the rolling stock was sold off at a fraction of its actual worth, and ensured also that the rolling stock companies were totally outside the regulatory system. That was another example of their failure to exercise competent stewardship of the national infrastructure.
§ Mr. Norman Baker (Lewes)Along with that of my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow), my constituency has Connex South Central services. We have rolling stock which dates from before the Beatles were ever heard of—when Harold Macmillan was Prime Minister—which must be replaced urgently. What steps will the Minister take to correct the sell-off of the roscos—a disgrace in terms of taxpayers' money—and bring them within the regulatory system?
§ Ms JacksonWe have made it abundantly clear that we expect the rolling stock companies to exercise a mature approach. There is a competitive market, and we have 104 seen new entrants into it. Since franchising, 1,400 new vehicles have been ordered; a replacement of well over 10 per cent. of the original fleet. There are commitments to order a further 800 vehicles at a cost of about £1 billion, and some 4,000 additional vehicles have been or are being refurbished. We have made it clear to rolling stock companies that if there is any hint of anti-competitive behaviour on their part, we will seriously address the possibility of legislation.