3 Mar 1999 : Column: 729
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 3 March 1999
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Railway Improvements
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (a) new stations were opened and (b) miles of track were restored to use for passenger services in each of the years between 1985-86 and 1997-98. [73170]
Dr. Reid: The table shows the number of new stations opened in each of the years between 1985-86 and 1997-98. Statistics from 1994 onwards were supplied by Railtrack, which was established on 1 April 1994 and privatised on 20 May 1996.
| Year | Stations opened |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 19 |
| 1986 | 4 |
| 1987 | 6 |
| 1988 | 23 |
| 1989 | 15 |
| 1990 | 20 |
| 1991 | 6 |
| 1992 | 15 |
| 1993 | 14 |
| 1994 | 16 |
| 1995 | 10 |
| 1996 | 4 |
| 1997 | 3 |
| 1998 | 8 |
The British Railways Board has no central record of annual mileage of track restored to use for passenger services. Since 1994, Railtrack have restored 37 miles of track to passenger use.
PCV Licences
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures his Department has taken to facilitate speedier delivery of PCV licences via the DVLA in Swansea. [73096]
Ms Glenda Jackson: All applications for vocational (lorry and bus driver) licences are given high priority by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The current service standard target is to deliver 95 per cent. of licences to applicants within 9 working days of receipt which includes postage time. The Agency is currently bettering this target by one day. The remaining applications--which are subject to conduct investigations by the Traffic Commissioners or medical consideration by the Agency's doctors--are normally cleared within 20 working days.
Applications can be submitted in multi-batches by training organisations and special provisions exist for licences to be collected from the Agency.
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Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his current estimate of the total cost of constructing the Jubilee Line extension; and if he will make a statement on the changes since his previous estimate. [73001]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
London Transport's current estimate of the total cost of constructing the Jubilee Line Extension is £3.2 billion. The estimate referred to in my response of 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 567, was based on a cost review undertaken in August 1998 before the completion date was revised and a three-phase opening strategy adopted.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list for each (1) unitary authority, (2) shire county, (3) shire district, (4) metropolitan district and (5) London borough council (a) the real terms percentage increase in standard spending assessment between 1997-98 and 1998-99, (b) the real terms percentage increase in Revenue Support Grant between 1997-98 and 1998-99, (c) the value of reduction grants received in 1998-99, (d) the real terms percentage increase in non-domestic rate income between 1997-98 and 1998-99 and (e) the real terms percentage increase in total external support between 1997-98 and 1998-99; [73643]
Mr. Prescott:
The information requested has been placed in the Library.
The real terms percentage difference between the data for 1997-98 and 1998-99 has been deflated by the GDP deflator, and expressed in terms of the 1998-99 equivalent. "Total External Support" has been defined as the sum of Revenue Support Grant, income from Non-Domestic Rates and Damping Grants. The data used for 1997-98 refer to the RSG calculated using the Adjusted 1997-98 SSAs.
The 1997-98 SSAs have been adjusted for: Local Government Reorganisation on 1 April 1998; the Personal Social Services SSA have been adjusted to include the indicative Special Transitional Grant for Community Care; and the Education SSA have been adjusted to include the deduction for nursery vouchers.
No adjustments have been made for the changes detailed in The Local Government Finance Report (England) 1997/1998: Amending Report 1999.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each (1) unitary authority, (2) shire county, (3) shire district, (4) metropolitan district and (5) London borough council (a) the real terms (i) percentage and (ii) cash
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 731
increase in standard spending assessment between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, (b) the real terms (i) percentage and (ii) cash increase in revenue support grant between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, (c) the value of reduction grants that will be received in 1999-2000, (d) the real terms (i) percentage and (ii) cash increase in non-domestic rate income between 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and (e) the real terms (i) percentage and (ii) cash increase in total external support between 1998-99 and 1999-2000. [73645]
Mr. Prescott:
The information requested has been placed in the Library.
The real terms percentage difference between the data for 1998-99 and 1999-2000 has been deflated by the GDP deflator, and expressed in terms of the 1999-2000 equivalent.
"Total External Support" has been defined as the sum of Revenue Support Grant, income from Non-Domestic Rates and Damping Grants.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list for each (1) unitary authority, (2) shire county, (3) shire district, (4) metropolitan district and (5) London borough council the real terms cash and percentage change between (A) 1997-98 and 1998-99 and (B) 1998-99 and 1999-2000 in (i) standard spending assessment and (ii) revenue support grant for (a) education services, (b) social services, (c) highways maintenance, (d) police services and (e) fire services; [73352]
Mr. Prescott:
A table showing the real terms cash change figures together with a table showing the real terms change figures expressed as a percentage of total standard spending assessment for the education block, the personal social services block, the highways maintenance block, the police block and the fire block have been placed in the library.
The 19897-98 SSAs have been adjusted for: Local Government Reorganisation on 1 April 1998: the Personal Social Services SSA have been adjusted to include the indicative Special Transitional Grant for Community Care; and the Education SSA have been adjusted to include the deduction for nursery vouchers.
No adjustments have been made for the changes detailed in The Local Government Finance Report (England) 1997-98: Amending Report 1999.
Although Standard Spending Assessments are determined for individual blocks of services, there is no obligation on authorities to adopt a similar pattern of spending; the SSAs are not ring-fenced.
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Revenue Support Grant is a block grant which is not determined for individual services. It is not ring-fenced.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each (1) unitary authority,(2) shire county, (3) shire district, (4) metropolitan district and (5) London borough council their proposed Band D council tax rates for 1999-2000. [73379]
Mr. Prescott:
The information requested is not yet available. The tax setting legislation gives Shire County Councils until 1 March to set a budget and issue a precept on their billing authorities for the year ahead. The other authorities listed have until 11 March to set a budget and council tax rates. In both instances, the authorities are required to inform me of their decisions within 7 days of taking them. As a result, my department intends to publish a Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 22 March giving the council tax rates at each band that have been set for 1999-2000.
(2) if he will list for each (1) unitary authority, (2) shire county, (3) shire district, (4) metropolitan district and (5) London borough council (a) the real terms cash increase in standard spending assessment between 1997-98 and 1998-99, (b) the real terms cash increase in Revenue Support Grant between 1997-98 and 1998-99, (c) the real terms cash increase in non-domestic rate income between 1997-98 and 1998-99, and (d) the real terms cash increase in total external support between 1997-98 and 1998-99. [73644]
(2) if he will list for each (1) unitary authority, (2) shire county, (3) shire district, (4) metropolitan district and (5) London borough council what percentage of the real terms cash change between (A) 1997-98 and 1998-99 and (B) 1998-99 and 1999-2000 in (i) standard spending assessment and (ii) revenue support grant has been ring-fenced for (a) education services, (b) social services, (c) highways maintenance, (d) police services and (e) fire services. [73353]
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