§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made as to the effect of changing the guidance issued to the SRA on the SRA's obligations under the funding package to be structured for the purposes of the SRA's accounts in such a way that disbursements under the funding package only constitute liabilities of the SRA for the accounting period in which the obligation to make disbursements arises, as issued on 22 March in the letter to Richard Bowker; and if he will make a statement; [68388]
(2) what assessment he has made as to the effect of changing the guidance issued to the SRA with regards to Railtrack, or any company which acquires its assets, becoming part of the public sector, as issued on 22 March in the letter to Richard Bowker; and if he will make a statement; [68386]
(3) what assessment he has made as to the effect of changing the guidance issued to the SRA with regard to Railtrack, or any company which acquires its assets, being consolidated into the SRA's balance sheet, as issued on 22 March in the letter to Richard Bowker; and if he will make a statement; [68387]
(4) what assessment he has made as to the effect of changing the guidance issued to the SRA with regards to Railtrack, or any company which acquires its assets, becoming an entity under public control, as stated on 22 March in the letter to Richard Bowker; and if he will make a statement; [68385]
(5) with regard to his letter of 22 March to Mr. Richard Bowker concerning the Railtrack successor body, his letter of 21 June to Mr. Nick Newton concerning the Railtrack successor body and his statement to the House of 27 June 2002, Official Report, column 971 on Network Rail, what representations he received from (a) the SRA, (b) Network Rail, (c) the ONS and (d) the NAO regarding the initial guidance that the Government do not wish Railtrack or any company which acquires its assets to (i) be consolidated into the SRA's balance sheet, (ii) become part of the public sector and (iii) become an entity under public sector control; and if he will make a statement. [68619]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 9 July 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement about Network Rail made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 27 June 2002, Official Report, 746W columns 971–73, and the two associated minutes which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid before the House on the same day.
The letter of 22 March 2002 gave the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) certain directions and guidance as to the manner in which the SRA was to negotiate a funding and outputs package with any bidder seeking to become the network operator. Since then, negotiations progressed with Network Rail with the result that the transaction contemplated did not entirely reflect the directions and guidance issued on 22 March.
Consequently, my right hon. Friend wrote on 21 June to replace the guidance and directions issued on 22 March and to give the SRA new directions and guidance as to the manner in which the SRA was to seek to conclude the transaction with the Network Rail Group.
No representations were made on the initial guidance by anyone other than the SRA, as it was a letter to them, which was not published until recently.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his letter of 22 March to Richard Bowker Esq, concerning the Railtrack successor body, his letter of 21 June to Nick Newton Esq, concerning the Railtrack successor body, and his oral statement of 27 June 2002,Official Report, column 971, what representations he received from (a) the Strategic Rail Authority, (b) Network Rail, (c) ONS and (d) the NAO, regarding the initial guidance on the structure and disbursement of the Strategic Rail Authority's obligation under the funding package; and if he will make a statement. [68374]
§ Mr. JamiesonI refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given her today [68388].