§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
What European Union grants are available for public transport in Northern Ireland, what applications are currently lodged and what is the channel for such applications. [HL2471]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonEuropean funding has been available for public transport in Northern Ireland through the Transportation Sub-Programme of the Northern Ireland Single Programme 1994–1999 and the joint INTERREG Programme for Northern Ireland and Ireland 1994–1999.
Applications lodged and approved under both programmes are as follows:
Transportation Sub-programme
- Bangor Integrated Transport Centre
- Antrim to Bleach Green Rail RE-instatement
- Rail Vehicle Transfer Equipment
- Newry Bus Station
- Westlink Busway Phase II
- Belfast to Bangor Rail Up-grade
- Belfast Central Station Refurbishment
Interreg
- Armagh Bus Station
- Coleraine Integrated Transport Centre
There are no other applications currently lodged. Applications were lodged by the transport companies with the former Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.
Negotiations are in progress between the European Commission and relevant Northern Ireland Departments about European funding for the period 2000–2006. It is too early to invite applications for European funding for this period.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the current structure of the Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development is adequate to reflect the competing priorities of public and private transport in such a way as to create public confidence; and whether they will underline the Department's commitment to public transport, including railways. [HL2353]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonI am satisfied that the current structure of the Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development is adequate to address the significant transport issues, involving both public and private transport, including railways, as evidenced inMoving Forward, the Northern Ireland Transport Policy Statement published in November 1998.
100WA
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 4 May (WA 188) which noted that the policy of a target average bus fleet age of eight years does not apply to the devolved administrations, why the same Answer suggested that the policy is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly to consider. [HL2538]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonTransport policy in Northern Ireland is a transferred matter under the Northern Ireland Acts 1973 and 1998, so decisions in this area are a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive or Northern Ireland Office Ministers in their absence.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 30 March (WA 102) concerning investigations into public transport in Northern Ireland, whether those listed are all the studies during the period as requested in the original question, or just those authorised by the department, and in that Answer what was meant by "disproportionate cost" in the supply of a complete answer to a parliamentary Question. [HL2273]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe investigations or reports are all those commissioned by the then Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland from 1995. "Disproportionate cost" meant that preparation of a full Answer would have entailed the disruption of normal duties for a number of staff for many hours and would have cost well in excess of £500 in staff time.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 3 May (WA 178–179) regarding the policy of a less priority being given to the funding of public transport in Northern Ireland compared with the rest of the United Kingdom, when and why that policy decision was taken. [HL2303]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonFollowing the 1996 Comprehensive Spending Review, Northern Ireland Office Ministers decided that, in allocating the resources available within the Northern Ireland Block, top priority should be given to health, education and law and order services. Nevertheless, over £20 million of additional funding was made available for Northern Ireland Railways over the three year period 1999/2000 to 2001/2002, including provision to fully fund the operating deficit that NIR were then predicting.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will outline their proposed spending in Northern Ireland on (a) public bus transport, (b) the railway system and (c) the road system for the years 2000,2001 and 2002. [HL2351]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonGross programme expenditure on the Roads Service, Railway Services 101WA and Road Passenger Services (public bus transport) for the years 1999/00—2001/02 is set out in the following table. The figures provided for 2001/02 are subject to revision under the 2000 Spending Review, which will set out plans for the years 2001/02—2003/04. The figures for railway services are also subject to change pending the report of the railway task force.
1999/00 Provisional Outturun 2000/01 Plans 2001/02 Plans Road Service 96.7 115.4 134.4 Railway Services 14.0 15.9* 23.2 Road Passenger Services 20.4 21.1 21.1 *A further £6 million has been earmarked in ministerial correspondence.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development's Transportation Unit is in charge of public transport; whether it is wholly funded, managed and directed by the Roads Service Agency; and, if so, whether this is in the best interests of public transport. [HL2487]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Department for Regional Development's Transportation Unit is not in charge of public transport. It is part of and wholly funded by the Roads Service Agency. In fulfilling its role of contributing to the development, and promoting implementation, of overall transportation policy in Northern Ireland, it also takes direction from the Deputy Secretary responsible for transport strategy and public transport in the department.
The department has recently set up a Regional Transportation Strategy Division outside Roads Service and located in the core of the department. The division has responsibility for developing a 10-year transportation strategy for Northern Ireland.
I am satisfied that the current structure serves best the interests of overall transport policy implementation in Northern Ireland at the present time.