§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether Mr. fain Coucher is(a) drawing a salary and (b) receiving another form of payment for working on the establishment of a company limited by guarantee to bid for Railtrack. [30238]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe services of lain Coucher are obtained through a contract with the Strategic Rail Authority and Coucher Pender Ltd.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what basis Mr. lain McAllister is employed to develop a company limited by guarantee to bid for Railtrack. [30239]
§ Mr. Jamiesonlain McAllister has been appointed to give strategic direction to the CLG team. He continues to be employed by Ford Motor Company Ltd., who have agreed his availability for this part-time role.
§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the Government have received a request to guarantee or underwrite the finances of the proposed company limited by guarantee for Railtrack. [33997]
§ Mr. SpellarDiscussions between Government and potential bidders for Railtrack are commercially confidential.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether his Department has a right of veto over the recommendations of an interim review by the Rail Regulator into the financial requirements for Railtrack in administration for Control Period 2. [36611]
§ Mr. JamiesonNo.
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§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will hold an inquiry into the dealings between Railtrack and Newt International of Portsmouth; what(a) working relationship and (b) outstanding contracts there are between Railtrack and Newt International; and if he will make a statement. [36307]
§ Mr. JamiesonI refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today [Ref: 35005].
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what contingency plans he has made for the provision of extra funding to the Railtrack administrator if the administration period is not over by the end of September. [36312]
§ Mr. JamiesonWe keep the progress of administration under close scrutiny.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the total amount of the application for state aid consent from the European Commission for Railtrack was communicated to theFinancial Times. [36314]
§ Mr. JamiesonTheFinancial Times has not been briefed by my Department on this matter.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the allocation of the projected funding requirement by the Railtrack administrator by the end of September. [36311]
§ Mr. JamiesonThis is a matter for the administrator.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his latest estimate is of the public sector(a) direct and (b) indirect financial support expected to be required by Railtrack in administration. [34614]
§ Mr. SpellarRailtrack will continue to receive income from grant and other sources as set out in the regulator's October 2000 periodic review and in the 2 April 2001 agreement between Government and Railtrack.
§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 8 February 2002,Official Report, column 1188W, on Railtrack, if he will provide examples of failure for each of the key areas of failure listed; what lessons have been learned from each of the key areas of failure listed; and what assessment of those examples of companies limited by guarantee listed has been conducted by his Department. [37581]
Mr. Jamieson: The failures are well known and well documented. Examples are set out in the report of the Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs, entitled "Rail Investment: renewal, maintenance and development of the national rail network" (Sixth Report of Session 2000–01, 29 March 2001) and in the Transport, Local Government and the 786W Regions Select Committee report on "Passenger Rail Franchising and the Future of Railway infrastructure" (First Report of Session 2001–02, Vol 1, 31 January 2002).
It will be for potential bidders to set out their proposals for addressing them in the light of the guidelines issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 31 October 2001.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which(a) train operating companies and (b) trade union bodies are to be represented on the board of the proposed company limited by guarantee that seeks to be Railtrack's successor. [37239]
§ Mr. SpellarIt is for the team developing a bid based on the concept of a company limited by guarantee to make a proposal to the administrator, including proposals on the membership of the proposed company.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how much the Government have invested through(a) Railtrack, (b) Ernst and Young and (c) other associated individuals and organisations since Railtrack was put into the hands of receivers; and if he will make a statement; [36724]
(2) since Railtrack was put into the hands of receivers whether an upper limit (a) has been and (b) will be put on the amount the Government will invest in Railtrack. [36723]
§ Mr. JamiesonRailtrack plc is currently in railway administration, not receivership. During this period the Government have entered into a loan agreement with the administrator, copies of which were placed in the House Library on 17 October 2001, and through support set out in the October 2000 regulatory settlement and the 2 April 2001 agreement between Government and Railtrack.