§ 2.50 p.m.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will direct London Regional Transport to publish all the categories of information which were previously published about London Transport by the Greater London Council.
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, such a direction would not be appropriate. The London Regional Transport Act 1984 requires London Regional Transport to make available comprehensive information about their affairs. They have a duty to prepare, consult upon and publish a three-yearly statement of strategy, the first of which is due by the end of June this year. They are required to publish an annual business plan; the plan for 1985–86 was published last December and the noble Lord has no doubt seen it.
They are also required to publish an annual report and accounts, and they must inform local authorities and the London Regional Passengers' Committee each year of their plans for fares and services.
In addition to these statutory requirements, London Regional Transport publish a great deal of information about their services for use by passengers, and they will continue to assist the London Regional Passengers' Committee in the discharge of their duties.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for that detailed reply, but I am a little disappointed with the information he has given. Is it not a fact that the GLC published a considerable amount of information, including that on the quality of service, service levels and financial performance, as well as proposals for capital projects and their monitoring? Is it not the case that of those items only the first piece of information is given to the London Regional Passengers' Committee and that they are given no information on service levels; that is, miles run on trains and buses? May I ask whether the Government will answer questions on detailed service provision in the same way as the GLC previously answered for London Transport?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, I think that the noble Lord will find in the business plan much of the information for which he is asking, certainly that relating to passenger miles and so on.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, may I ask whether that information is supplied to the London Regional Passengers' Committee for their consideration? My information is that that is not so.
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, the annual business plan is freely available to anybody who wants to look at it.