§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what 605W assessment has been made by his Department of the progress made by the Strategic Rail Authority since April 1999 to (a) protect the interests of users of railway services, (b) contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, (c) promote efficiency and economy on the part of persons providing rail services, (d) promote measures to facilitate journeys involving the use of services of more than one passenger service operator, including through ticketing, (e) impose on the operators of railway services the minimum restrictions which are consistent with the performance of the Authority's functions, and (f) enable persons providing railway services to plan the future of their business with a reasonable degree of assurance; if he will place copies of reports published in the Library; and if he will make a statement; [23150]
(2) what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to (i) protect the interests of users of railway services, (ii) contribute to the achievement of sustainable developments, (iii) promote efficiency and economy on the part of persons providing rail services, (iv) promote measures to facilitate journeys involving the use of services of more than one passenger service operator, including through ticketing, (v) impose on the operators of railway services the minimum restrictions which are consistent with the performance of the authority's functions and (vi) enable persons providing railway services to plan the future of their businesses with a reasonable degree of assurance; and if he will make a statement; [23192]
(3) what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to review the performance of the Strategic Rail Authority against the directions and guidance provided by his Department in (i) September 1999 and (ii) July 2001; if he will provide details of the conclusions of the reviews which have taken place; and if he will make a statement. [23517]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Railways Act 1993, as amended by the Transport Act 2000, requires the Strategic Rail Authority to make to the Secretary of State an annual report on its activities and the Secretary of State to lay a copy of every such report before Parliament. The Authority's first overall strategy, due to be published on 14 January 2002, will set out its future plans. A corporate plan for 2002–3 will also be published in due course.
The Secretary of State may give directions and guidance to the Authority in relation to its strategies and as to the manner in which it is to exercise its functions. A draft was issued for consultation on 29 June 2001. We are currently considering the responses received.