§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the schemes his Department operates to assist staff facing financial hardship following a transfer, showing(a) the particular criteria and rules applying to each one, including the circumstances under which any loans can be written off, (b) the total amount loaned or granted under the schemes in 1992–93 and so far in 1993–94 and (c) the number of staff assisted in 1992–93 and so far in 1993–94.
§ Mr. NorrisSince January 1992 the Department has had in place a contract with a relocation company which offers to individual members of staff being compulsorily transferred a guaranteed selling price for their home based on an agreed valuation. All staff being transferred compulsorily are encouraged to participate in these arrangements. Staff are reimbursed other reasonable expenses incurred in their move.
329WThe Department has discretion to assist staff who are compulsorily transferred but who have a negative equity in their homes. In such cases staff are offered an interest bearing loan over a period of up to 20 years with an option to defer payment of the capital sum for up to four years. Interest is payable immediately. During 1992–93 seven members of staff received loans totalling £55,000. and to date in 1993–94 eight members of staff have received loans totalling £87,000. Where additional assistance of this type is given loans may be written off only in cases of severe ill health, medical retirement or death.
In addition, the Department has discretion to deal with cases of financial hardship, dating from the period before a guaranteed selling price was offered through the relocation company, where members of staff being compulsorily transferred, and who had bridging loans on which the interest was paid by the Department, were
Trunk roads and motorways in Greater London Spend £m (at outturn prices) Spend £m (at 1992–93 prices using the gross domestic product index) Year Construction/improvement Maintenance Construction/improvement Maintenance 1982–83 30.4 8.3 52.1 14.2 1983–84 20.7 8.3 33.9 13.6 1984–85 19.7 8.0 30.7 12.5 1985–86 54.3 12.2 80.2 17.9 1986–87 85.1 17.0 122.1 24.4 1987–88 88.0 20.3 119.8 27.6 1988–89 61.7 25.2 78.7 32.2 1989–90 117.9 32.2 149.7 38.4 1990–91 138.9 42.1 153.4 46.5 1991–92 157.0 60.8 163.0 63.1 1992–93 138.5 64.1 138.5 64.1 1993–94 1148.9 161.7 — — 1 Forecast. Indices not available for 1993.94. To provide figures before 1982–83 or the breakdowns requested between new construction and improvements and between trunk road and motorway expenditure would involve disproportionate costs.
My right hon. Friend will announce in the near future the national road schemes on which works are due to start in 1994–95 and the results of the current review of road programme priorities.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each scheme in Greater London in his Department's current trunk roads and motorways programme with the total cost in each year since construction commenced up to estimated completion at both current and constant 1992–93 prices for(a) junction improvements, (b) other improvements, (c) maintenance and (d) new construction.
330W
£ million Forecast expenditure in Scheme title 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 Junction improvements A40 Long lane junction 15.9 4.4 1.3 1.0 1.0 0.0 A13 Blackwall tunnel/Cotton street 3.2 4.4 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A13 Butcher row junction improvement 0.8 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A406/M junction 1 7.5 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Other improvements A406 East of Falloden way — — — 5.1 3.7 3.0 A406 Hanger lane/Harrow road 20.0 26.8 17.7 0.3 0.1 0.0 Trunk road cabling and communications 15.5 6.8 1.7 2.1 1.7 1.0 affected by falling property values. In 1992–93 18 such cases were dealt with through grants of £238,000 to enable bridging loans to be paid off. In 1993–94 to date six cases have been dealt with through grants of £78,000.