§ Dr. VisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has to amend the jurisdiction of the British Transport Police in respect of matters outside their immediate operating areas; [38419]
(2) what assessment he has made of the status of the British Transport Police following the privatisation of the railways; [38421]
(3) if he will review the powers of members of the British Transport Police when they are dealing with emergencies outside their immediate operating areas; [38420]
(4) what assessment he had made of proposals to establish a police authority for British Transport Police and for that authority to be the employer of British Transport Police officers and civilian support staff; [38422]
(5) what are the Government's plans for the future of the British Transport Police. [38424]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonA working group including officials from my Department, the Home Office, the British Transport Police (BTP) and the British Railways Board has been looking into these issues. I expect the group to complete its work and make recommendations to ministers shortly. The Home Office are about to undertake a consultation process with police staff associations on a limited extension of the BTP's jurisdiction.
§ Dr. VisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons existing rail operators require a Police Service Agreement with British Transport Police in order to obtain a licence; and for what reasons no similar requirement is made of new operators. [38423]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Rail Regulator is not authorised to grant, without the approval of the Secretary of State, any licence (other than a network licence) which does not contain a condition requiring the licence holder to enter into an agreement approved by the Secretary of State with the British Transport Police for the provision to the licence holder of core police services.