HC Deb 01 July 2002 vol 388 cc102-3W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the criteria are for determining whether money paid to the railway industry by(a) the Office of the Rail Regulator and (b) SRA is subject to state aid approval from the EU; [65290]

(2) what the criteria are for determining whether money paid by the Government to the (a) Office of the Rail Regulator and (b) SRA is subject to state aid approval from the EU. [65291]

Mr. Jamieson

Apart from receiving money for its own administration, the Office of the Rail Regulator is not involved in receiving or paying out money. Any financial support provided to the railway industry by the SRA is compared with the EC state aid rules. Financial support that constitutes or may constitute a state aid, and is not covered by an existing state aid approved scheme, is notified to the Commission.