§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been allocated in local transport plans for each year from 2001–02 to 2005–06 for(a) individual public transport schemes costing over £5 million that have received approval, (b) individual public transport schemes costing less than £5 million that have received approval and (c) integrated transport measures that have received approval. [148589]
§ Mr. Hill[holding answer 2 February 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 14 December 2000, Official Report, column 202W, details of the local transport capital settlement for 2001–02.
The settlement provided firm allocations to authorities in England outside London for 2001–02 and for highway maintenance also for 2002–03. Allocations for the period 2002–03 to 2005–06 are indicative, and will be reconsidered each year in the light of actual scheme costs and annual progress reports submitted by authorities.
The allocation for 2001–02 made to major public transport and integrated transport schemes costing over £5 million which have received full approval was £85.5 million.
We earmarked an additional £6.3 million for 2001–02 for provisionally accepted major public transport and integrated transport schemes which will be made available on satisfactory completion of the outstanding issues such as statutory procedures.
We have indicated to authorities the total Government contribution for each major transport scheme; future annual allocations will be made each year subject to reported progress on the scheme and its costs.
Transport schemes costing less than £5 million are not subject to individual approval by central Government. Authorities are provided with a single block allocation for smaller scale measures and highway maintenance which they have discretion to spend in line with the objectives and priorities set out in the local transport plans. The total block allocation for 2001–02, including reserves, was £1,103 million.
384WIn order to provide greater certainty over future allocations authorities were provided with an indication of the likely levels of funding they could expect to receive for smaller scale measures for 2002–03 to 2005–06, and for highway maintenance for 2003–04 to 2005–06. The announcement envisaged that the annual totals to be allocated for these measures would be as follows:
£million 2002–031 1,120 2003–04 1,118 2004–05 1,248 2005–06 1,275 1Includes firm allocations for highway maintenance As with major schemes, the future block allocations to individual authorities are subject to confirmation or revision each year in light of progress reported by the authorities.