Railways (Hansard, 22 June 2004)

§ Mr. Redwood
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many regulatory bodies are responsible for railway activity. [179486]

§ Dr. Howells
There are three public bodies whose work is, or includes, regulation of railway activity. They are the Office of the Rail Regulator, the Health and Safety Executive and the Strategic Rail Authority.

§ Linda Perham
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve rail transport in London. [179618]

§ Mr. McNulty
London rail users will benefit from £2.7 billion investment programme to upgrade rail transport in London and the South East. This includes more than 2,000 new carriages and modernisation of the power supply infrastructure. Other investment will provide increases in passenger services and station improvements, including CCTV and information points. Over the next 15 years, £16 billion will be spent on modernising and upgrading London Underground to provide new signalling and trains, as well as track renewal. The British Transport Police continue to play a key role in helping to ensure the security of passengers in London whether on the rail network or the Underground. TfL have provided an additional £4.5 million this year including funding for a further 100 police officers on the Tube.

§ Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his oral answer of 18 May 2004,Official Report, column 809, on the rail safety regulator, what steps he is taking towards a more streamlined system of responsibility in relation to health and safety on the railways. [179789]

§ Mr. McNulty
The rail review is continuing to look at the regulation of safety. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, said in his statement to the House on 19 January, the Government will publish their proposals in the summer.