here - United Kingdom Parliament

1223W
Written Answers
6 JUNE 2013
Written Answers
1224W
Mr Simon Burns: The cost of the provision of the new
rolling stock will be borne by the train service provider
(Agility Trains). The train operating company will in
turn pay the train service provider to use the rolling stock.
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of
State for Transport what assessment he has made
of the cost of refranchising the East Coast mainline to
date. [158120]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Transport
has made an appropriate assessment of the cost of
re-franchising the East Coast mainline and produced a
project budget from this assessment.
The East Coast project team is currently tracking
progress against the project budget.
Since the announcement of the new timetable for rail
franchising on 26 March the Department has spent
£236,500 (in addition to internal costs) on external
advisors providing technical, legal and financial expertise
to the East Coast mainline project team.
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of
State for Transport what plans he has to monitor the
performance of the new franchisee of the East Coast
mainline. [158121]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department is currently
considering appropriate performance measures as part
of its development of the specification for the new
InterCity East Coast franchise.
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of
State for Transport whether state-owned companies
will be entitled to submit a bid for the East Coast Main
Line franchise. [158297]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department’s rail franchising
competitions must be run in accordance with EU and
UK law, including obligations to ensure equal treatment
and non discrimination. As such, all potential operators,
including state owned companies, will be eligible to
apply provided they meet the Department’s pre-qualification
criteria. However, section 25 of the Railways Act 1993
would preclude certain public sector operators (including
DOR and East Coast) from bidding to become a franchisee.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
LilianGreenwood:ToasktheSecretaryof StateforTransport
whether he plans formally to respond to the findings of
the National Audit Office report, High Speed 2: a review
of early programme preparation, published on 16 May
2013. [157984]
Mr Simon Burns: The National Audit Office report
will inform a hearing on the High Speed 2 programme
by the Committee for Public Accounts. The Government
will formally respond to the Committee following the
hearing, outlining any agreed actions in response to the
Committee’s examination of the programme.
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for
Transport what plans his Department has to avoid the
loss of areas of ancient woodland during the construction
of High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.
[158298]
Mr Simon Burns: This Department, and HS2 Ltd,
take their obligation to conserve ancient woodlands
very seriously. However, a scheme of this magnitude
can not be built without some impacts. By careful
design of the route and strict controls during construction
we are seeking to reduce, as far as practicable, impacts
on ancient woodlands. For example, the provision of a
tunnel at Long Itchington avoids the ancient wood here
and a retained cutting minimises land take at South
Cubbington Wood.
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for
Transport what discussions his Department has had
with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs on measures to minimise the impact on ancient
woodland of the construction of High Speed 2; and if
he will make a statement. [158299]
Mr Simon Burns: Officials liaise on a regular basis
with their counterparts at the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs to better understand the
implications of the HS2 scheme on the environment
and ways to mitigate these effects.
Railways: Fares
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for
Transport what consideration his fares and ticketing
review will give to the future of regulated rail fares.
[157843]
Norman Baker: The fares and ticketing review is
looking at a range of issues around fares regulation.
We expect to publish the findings of the review early
this summer.
Railways: Franchises
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of
State for Transport what criteria his Department uses to
determine which contracts for passenger rail franchises
are extended and which are brought forward to refranchise.
[158131]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Transport
announced the timetable for the future of rail franchising
on 26 March. This timetable sees all rail franchises
being re-tendered over the next eight years. In setting
this timetable we took into consideration the capacity
of the market to bid as well as the resourcing burden on
the Department in managing the re-franchising processes,
while ensuring that no more than 3 to 4 franchises are
re-let at the same time in line with the Brown report.
The granting of direct awards and contractual extensions
are being used to facilitate the delivery of this staggered
programme.
Sign Language
Sir Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for
Transport what measures his Department has in place
to ensure that deaf people have the opportunity to
communicate in British Sign Language with (a) public
transport employees and (b) the agencies and nondepartmental
public bodies for which he is responsible.
[157464]