HC Deb 15 June 1999 vol 333 cc80-1W
36. Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the income to be derived by London Transport from the Public-Private Partnership leases on London Underground's infrastructure in (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03. [85816]

Mrs. Liddell

It is not the intention of the Public/Private Partnership to derive income for London Transport through leasing charges. The leasing of the infrastructure to the private sector is the legal mechanism necessary to allow private sector partners to undertake and finance the necessary maintenance, renewal and upgrade works to the system.

Mr. Ottaway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Railtrack plc on the possibility of granting them a public-private partnership of the whole London Underground system; and if he will make a statement. [86640]

Mr. Prescott

I announced to the House earlier this afternoon,Official Report, columns 155–67, that I have agreed with London Transport that they should not hold a PPP competition for London Underground's sub-surface lines at present. This is to allow London Transport to explore with Railtrack whether there is a way of linking the national rail network to the sub-surface lines in a PPP, under which Railtrack would undertake and finance the maintenance and upgrading of the subsurface lines for London Underground, under contract to London Underground, and Railtrack would build links between the Underground and the national rail network, to allow new services for passengers running into the heart of London.

I also announced that London Transport is today inviting companies to pre-qualify as bidders to invest in the Underground through the Underground's two deep-tube infrastructure contracts. Railtrack have themselves confirmed that they will not be seeking to pre-qualify for the two deep-tube PPP competitions.

I met Gerald Corbett, Chief Executive of Railtrack, this morning, to discuss the work involved. Prior to this, my officials held a number of working level meetings with Railtrack.