§ John MannTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the circumstances in which Railtrack has imported rail track components that are cheaper but require higher maintenance than those of established British suppliers; and if he will make a statement; [58147]
(2) in relation to Railtrack's decisions on which rail track components to purchase, what criteria are set by the (a) Rail Regulator and (b) HSE as to how Railtrack should trade off complexity of maintenance and capital outlay. [58146]
§ Mr. JamiesonI have been asked to reply.
None. These are procurement matters for the industry parties. However, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places specific duties on designers, manufacturers, suppliers and installers to ensure components are safe.
§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how many posts in Railtrack Scotland are unfilled; and what impact these vacancies are having on Scotland's rail services; [58097]
(2) for what posts in the Scottish rail network Railtrack has recruited people from (a) Romania and (b) the Philippines; and how many have been recruited; [58098]
(3) what additional training is required for people recruited from Romania and the Philippines by Railtrack to work on the rail network. [58094]
§ Mr. JamiesonI have been asked to reply.
788WRecruitment and training are matters for the industry parties. Railtrack employs contractors to carry out its maintenance and renewal work on the network in Scotland. Signalling resources have been an issue for the industry and the contractors have looked at various options including the small-scale recruitment of qualified engineering staff from abroad. Their training additionally includes familiarisation with the operational methods and standards of the UK network.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the results of the enhanced basic questionnaire for prospective Railtrack contractors will be made available to the public. [60599]
§ Mr. JamiesonThis is a commercial matter for Railtrack.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the deferred timescales of Railtrack for the revised selection process for prospective contractors. [60600]
§ Mr. JamiesonI understand that Railtrack's maintenance contracts are for fixed terms and will be re-let upon expiry. The next tranche is due to be renewed with effect from 1 April 2003.