HC Deb 12 March 2002 vol 381 cc914-7W
Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if final agreement has been reached with tube lines and Metronet over risk transfer under PPP. [41580]

Mr. Jamieson

London Underground is responsible for negotiation of contracts with tube lines and Metronet for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure. Final contracts can only be agreed following the completion of consultation with the Mayor and Transport for London.

Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the sections of the London Underground which are forecast to see significant reductions in crowding levels as a result of the PPP. [41650]

Mr. Jamieson

I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member on 4 February 2002,Official Report, column 731–32W.

Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many trains will be refurbished or replaced in the first seven and a half years of the London Underground PPP. [41742]

Mr. Jamieson

I refer to my answer to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 4 March 2002,Official Report, column 88W.

Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what instructions London Underground has received about the phasing of spending plans under the PPP; and what spending projects London Underground must include in the second 15 year period. [41743]

Mr. Jamieson

London Underground is responsible for the development of PPP contracts for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure. The Secretary of State has set out proposals on the level of grant that can be provided to support London Underground over the next seven and a half years, but has issued no instructions to London Underground about the phasing of spending plans.

The draft contract sets out detailed requirements for the whole 30 year contract period, and that periodic reviews every seven and a half years will allow London Underground to revise its requirements to reflect changing circumstances.

Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether final contracts have been agreed with tube lines and Metronet. [41682]

Mr. Jamieson

London Underground is responsible for negotiation of contracts with Tube Lines and Metronet for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure. Final contracts can only be agreed following the completion of consultation with the Mayor and Transport for London.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what role his Department has played by means of(a) legislation and (b) direction in ensuring that London Underground makes the contractual documentation relating to the PPP publicly available following completion of the competition. [42118]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: None.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2002,Official Report, column 88W, on PPP contracts, for what reason the acceptance of a safety case as a condition precedent is a matter for London Underground Ltd. and the bidders. [42177]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: The modernisation plans can only proceed if London Underground's revised safety case is accepted by the Health and Safety Executive. The decision to include this legal requirement as condition precedent to a contract between London Underground and the bidders is a matter for the parties to the contract.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the provision for taking over the work of Infracos under the London Underground PPP if the consortiums fail; and with whom this provision will lie. [42120]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: London Underground is responsible for the development of contracts for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure.

The contract provides powers for London Underground to step in to take over the work of the infrastructure companies for health, safety or security reasons or if the infrastructure does not comply with a corrective action notice in relation to a failure to perform its obligations. If an infrastructure company defaults on the contract there are provisions for the contract to be transferred to another party or, if no suitable party is found, for London Underground itself to take over the contract.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 169W, on London Underground, under what powers he is able to put in place interim staff for an arbiter before a permanent appointment can be made. [42292]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: Under section 227 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his reply of 4 March 2002,Official Report, column 86W, on value for money and safety assessments of the London Underground PPP contracts, if he will provide a list of the other information sent to the Mayor and Transport for London on 7 February; and how long before the LT board meeting of 7 February the value for money analysis was completed. [42112]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 1 March 2002]: Information provided to the Mayor and Transport for London in relation to consultation on the modernisation proposals is a matter for London Transport. The exact timing of the completion of London Transport's value for money analysis is a matter for London Transport.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2002,Official Report, column 87W, on PPP cost overruns, what would be regarded as inefficient or uneconomic behaviour. [42267]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: London Underground is responsible for the development of contracts for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure.

The Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires the PPP Arbiter, among other things, to promote efficiency and economy in relation to a PPP agreement, and to take into account factors notified by the parties to the agreement or specified in the agreement.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what role his Department has played in setting the level of performance required for the Infracos under the London Underground PPP. [42117]

Mr. Jamieson

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: The Secretary of State wishes to see a comprehensive modernisation of the underground with increased capacity, improved reliability and higher quality. The detailed level of performance required from the infrastructure companies has been set by London Underground.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what is the(a) status of and (b) expected date for finalising each of the bids to operate trains on the London Underground under the proposed PPP scheme. [42812]

Mr. Byers

The proposed PPP contracts are for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure. London Underground will continue to operate the entire tube network, including trains.

London Underground is responsible for the contracts. Final contracts can only be agreed following the completion of consultation with the Mayor and Transport for London.