§ 12. Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to develop an overall strategic policy for London following the decision not to proceed with deregulation of bus services in London.
§ Mr. NorrisOur strategy for transport in London focuses on three priorities: improving the management of the road, rail and bus networks; modernising and where necessary expanding the provision of transport infrastructure; and making greater use of private sector resources and skills. The policies for buses which we announced earlier this month are fully consistent with that approach.
§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers are transported on London area buses on an average day; what was the figure five years ago; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisIn 1992–93 the number of passenger journeys on LT buses was 1,127 million—3.09 million per day. In 1987–88 there were 1,211 million—3.31 million per day.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the net receipt which his Department expects for the privatisation of each of the subsidiary companies of London Buses Ltd.
§ Mr. NorrisThe Department's estimate of the net receipts from the sale of the London Buses Ltd. subsidiary companies is commercially confidential and thus cannot be made publicly available.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the timetable for tendering all the London Transport bus routes which have not yet been put out to tender.
§ Mr. NorrisThe timetable for tendering the remaining London Transport bus routes which have not been put out to tender is currently under consideration.
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§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implications of the proposed privatisation of the subsidiary companies of London Buses Ltd. for the pension fund of current and former London Transport employees.
§ Mr. NorrisThe proposed privatisation of the London Buses Ltd. subsidiary companies will not affect the pensions of former employees of the subsidiary companies. The pension position of current employees of those companies is now under consideration. I recognise the concerns of employees about their pension arrangements, and will soon give London Transport guidance on the treatment of these in the privatisation.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the minimum subsidy requirement in 1994–95 for London Transport bus services; and what comparable level of subsidy has been required for each year since 1987–88.
§ Mr. NorrisThe total of revenue grant support for London Transport bus services, including tendered bus services, for the years 1987–88 to 1992–93, was as follows:
£ million 1987–88 83.0 1988–89 79.3 1989–90 67.7 1990–91 88.3 1991–92 101.9 1992–93 100.6 The current forecast for 1993–94 is £52.1 million. The amount of revenue grant support for 1994–95 will be determined in due course in consultation with London Transport.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to specifying a minimum reserve price for each of the subsidiary companies of London Buses Ltd. which he is proposing to privatise.
§ Mr. NorrisThere are no plans to specify a minimum reserve price for the subsidiary companies of London Buses Ltd.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current book value of(a) the vehicles, (b) the garages and (c) all other assets of each of the subsidiary companies of London Buses Ltd.
§ Mr. NorrisAt 31 March 1993, the net book value of the vehicles within the London Buses Ltd. group was £164 million; the net book value of the property was £143 million; and the net book value of the remaining assets was £21 million. These valuations reflect the current value or replacement cost of the assets, reduced by the proportion of the life of the asset which is already expired, in line with normal public sector accounting practice.