HC Deb 31 January 1996 vol 270 cc803-4W
Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 36, if he will provide a schedule of the applications by Central Railways plc for partial, conditional or absolute waiver from compliance with certain application requirements under the Transport and Works Act 1992 that he is considering. [12537]

Mr. Watts

Central Railway plc has withdrawn the waiver applications previously before my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I understand that it intends to re-apply for waivers in a modified form. It would not be appropriate in the circumstances to reveal details of the withdrawn waiver applications but copies of any subsequent such applications will be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 36, when he reached the conclusion that the applications by Central Railways plc were of national importance under the Transport and Works Act 1992. [12536]

Mr. Watts

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has reached no such conclusion. My answer, like the hon. Member's question, dealt with what would happen in the event of such a conclusion being reached. From what we know of the proposal, this conclusion seems very likely, but it cannot be reached unless and until a formal application is made under the Transport and Works Act 1992.

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 36, if he will make a statement on the consultations with local planning authorities and other bodies which Central Railways plc is required to make under the Transport and Works Act 1992 rules; and what monitoring he has carried out as to whether the consultations have been carried out to the satisfaction of the local authorities concerned. [12538]

Mr. Watts

Rule 3 of the Transport and Works (Applications and Objections Procedure) Rules 1992 (SI 1992 No. 2902) sets out the pre-application consultation and notification requirements. The applicant must provide with the TWA application copies of all statements of views obtained from local planning authorities under rule 3(1) and evidence by affidavit of compliance with the notification requirements under rule 3(2) and 3(3).