HC Deb 26 January 2004 vol 417 cc36-7W
John Thurso

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the measures the Department is taking to enable local authorities to bring forward and implement projects given provisional approval within the last three years' annual transport settlements. [149650]

Mr. McNulty

The Department, through the Government Offices hold regular meetings with local authorities providing advice on funding issues, statutory processes, etc. Working closely with local authorities the Government Offices make sure scheme changes are reported promptly so that decisions on how to proceed can be taken at the earliest opportunity.

John Thurso

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authority projects given provisional approval within the last three years' annual transport settlements are delayed owing to(a) skills shortages and (b) the planning process. [149651]

Mr. McNulty

No local authority has identified skills shortages to the Department as a primary cause of delays to major local transport schemes since the introduction of the Local Transport Plan process.

The planning process has been identified as a contributory cause of delay to several major scheme proposals, but the effects of factors such as delayed planning permissions and delayed TWA approvals cannot be clearly separated from other factors.