§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional payments have been made to passenger transport executives under(a) the metropolitan railway grant and (b) the section 20 payments in respect of rail privatisation including the latest estimates for the current financial year. [33799]
§ Mr. WattsGovernment support to PTEs through metropolitan railway grant and its Scottish equivalent has been as follows:
- 1994–95: £225.4 million
- 1995–96: £132.1 million
- 1996–97: —
Sums allocated under the section 20 "bolt-on" element of revenue support grant—and its Scottish equivalent—for rail support in metropolitan areas for the corresponding period are:
- 1994–95: £148.1 million
- 1995–96: £147.2 million
- 1996–97: £281.2 million
§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to date of all bought-in services in connection with railway privatisation, with particular reference to costs and commissions in connection with the flotation of Railtrack. [33794]
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§ Mr. WattsI refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley) on 4 June,Official Report, column 429, in respect of costs of the Railtrack share offer.
Costs to my Department of other bought-in services in connection with rail privatisation from 1991–92 to date are some £44 million.
§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to date in departmental staff time of work on railway privatisation. [33793]
§ Mr. WattsThe Department does not have detailed information in the form requested. However, from 1991–92 to date, the costs of staff working on rail privatisation are approximately £10 million.
§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to date to Railtrack of privatisation, with particular reference to associated redundancy and compensation payments made before flotation; and what is the estimated annual future cost to public funds. [33796]
§ Mr. WattsRailtrack's accounts show that it accrued £46 million for the whole of its privatisation costs. All redundancy or compensation payments made by the company while it was being privatised were made to increase the company's efficiency. Any future costs arising from such payments will fall to Railtrack.
§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the total costs incurred so far by the British Railways Board in the privatisation process broken down by(a) external advice, (b) consultancies, (c) commission payments, (d) redundancy pension and (e) other expenses including the estimated costs for the current year. [33798]
§ Mr. WattsDetails of the costs incurred by the British Railways Board in the privatisation process are a matter for the board itself. However, the board's annual reports and accounts for 1993–94 and 1994–95 show that its total privatisation costs to the end of 1994–95 were £177 million. I understand from the board that it estimates that it incurred further costs of £101 million in 1995–96; it also estimates that it will incur further costs of £53 million in 1996–97. Any breakdown of those figures would be for the board to provide.