§ Mr. McNultyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Railtrack's application for an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 in respect of the Thameslink 2000 Project. [68604]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonWe have been advised by Railtrack that they intend making a supplementary Order application which will revise the scope of the proposed works at a number of locations, in particular at Farringdon and London Bridge. These changes arise from Railtrack's consideration of objections made to the original application. The supplementary application is expected to be made by the end of September. To allow time for objections to this application to be taken into account, the Secretary of State has decided to defer until 9 December 1999 the date by which he must give notice of an intention to hold a public inquiry into the proposed Railtrack (Thameslink 2000) Order. We will take a decision before that date if possible but this will depend on when the supplementary application is made.