§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent decisions he has made about(a) the private sector operating in the London Underground and (b) running the deep-level underground; what consultations he has held on these matters with the London Mayor and the Greater London Authority; and if he will make a statement. [136974]
§ Mr. HillSome Underground support functions, such as cleaning, are already contracted out to the private sector. We have no plans, however, for private sector operation of core train or station functions, or running of the Underground, as proposed by the opposition. We are continuing to make progress with the public-private partnership, which will leave operations in the hands of the public sector and bring in the private sector to invest in maintaining and upgrading the infrastructure. Ministers have had several meetings with the Mayor and the GLA on the subject of the Underground.
§ Mr. PoundTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much London Transport has spent to date on consultancy costs for the London Underground public-private partnership; and what forecast he has made of total expenditure on consultancy costs. [141282]
§ Mr. HillI understand from London Transport that their expenditure on external consultants from 20 March 1998 (the date of the Government's announcement) to 30 September 2000, for work on the PPP and restructuring of London Underground, was £69.4 million. The remaining consultancy work required on the project has now become clearer and London Transport estimate that the final amount should be around £92 million. I can also report, pursuant to my answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Efford) of 18 May 2000,Official Report, column 252W, that the consultancy expenditure incurred by London Transport to 31 March 2000 was over-stated at £60.3 million and should have been reported as £59.6 million.