§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State (1) what amount and type of funding will be made available to the South Yorkshire passenger transport executive to support local railway services after the expiry of metropolitan railways grant; [18021]
(2) if he will make it his policy to announce replacement funding for metropolitan railways grant before May; and if he will notify passenger transport executives of the arrangements in sufficient time to allow them to support services under a seven-year franchise. [18022]
§ Mr. WattsMy right hon. Friend proposes to replace the current temporary arrangements, whereby revenue support for railway passenger services funded by English passenger transport executives is divided between revenue support grant and metropolitan railway grant, with an enhanced RSG with effect from 1996–97. The proposed arrangements for allocating the enhanced RSG to PTEs have been set out in a consultation paper, which has been circulated to the PTEs with an invitation to comment by the middle of April. We intend to announce a final decision on future funding for PTE supported railway passenger services shortly after that date.