The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a breakdown by firm of expenditure by his Department on (a) consultants and (b) consultancy firms in each of the last four years.
Stephen Hammond
Information requested will be deposited in the library and provides the spend details per financial year for the period 2010 to 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with train operating companies in Greater Manchester on last minute reductions in train configurations.
Stephen Hammond
The franchise agreement between the Government and each individual train operator includes benchmarks in key performance areas. The Department monitors each train operator’s overall performance against these areas every four weeks and there are clear actions set out in the franchise agreement should performance drop below what is expected. This regular monitoring includes monthly meetings with their senior management where performance figures are scrutinised and challenged.
Short-forming (last minute reductions in train configurations) is included in this monitoring, and therefore in the monthly meetings. It is the train operator that decides on whether a service is to be short-formed, and if contractual benchmark figures are breached, the Department does take enforcement action.
Some services in Greater Manchester are sponsored and specified by Transport for Greater Manchester, who also monitor the performance of the operators concerned.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2014-06-05.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that Natwest and other subsidiaries of RBS remain as competitive as possible in the banking sector.
Andrea Leadsom
On 1 November 2013, RBS committed to a new direction, focussing on its core British business, supporting British families and companies. RBS’s new direction is supported wholeheartedly by the Bank of England, UKFI and the Government.
RBS and its subsidiaries retain their own independent boards and management teams for strategic and operational decision-making.
The Government’s shareholding in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is managed on a commercial and arm’s length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, columns 517-8W, on railways: passengers, what the evidential basis is for the stated forecast of increases in passenger numbers on the West Coast Main Line over the next 10 years.
Stephen Hammond
Chapter 4 of Network Rail’s West Coast Route Utilisation Strategy describes the evidential basis and modelling approach of the anticipated changes in demand to 2024-25 which are contained in the same document. This is now available at:
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/imagelibrary/downloadMedia.ashx?MediaDetailsID=4675
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how he expects High Speed 2 to reduce overcrowding at London Waterloo.
Mr Robert Goodwill
High Speed 2 is not intended to reduce overcrowding at London Waterloo, as it has been designed as a link between London Euston, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.
The 2012 Rail Investment Strategy (HLOS) has asked the industry to provide additional peak capacity for 9,700 extra passengers into Waterloo by 2019 and has provided funding for Network Rail to expand Waterloo and other stations. Network Rail and South West Trains have set out plans to lengthen peak trains and South West Trains is now in discussions with the Department for Transport.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how High Speed 2 improve reliability and reduce overcrowding on regional links between towns and cities in the North West.
Mr Robert Goodwill
By moving long distance passengers off the existing network, HS2 will release capacity for more regional services, reducing overcrowding and improving reliability, as well as improving connectivity. Nationally, the Economic Case for HS2 found that HS2 will deliver reliability benefits worth £5.5bn, and reduced crowding benefits of £7.5bn, which includes benefits to regional services in the North West.
In response to recommendations made by Sir David Higgins, HS2 Ltd and Network Rail have been commissioned to consider what further improvements can be made to centre to city centre connectivity, east-west links and local connectivity in the Midlands and the North, with a final report on options in 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will move home as a result of the construction of High Speed 2 because of (a) demolition for construction of the line and (b) blight.
Stephen Hammond
There are 464 dwellings within the area currently subject to surface-level safeguarding for the London to West Midlands section of HS2, of which 339 are to be demolished. Given recent Census data showing an average 2.3 occupants per property in the UK, we expect around 1,000 people will move from those homes.
We have not estimated numbers of people who may move for reasons of generalised property blight, but there are approximately 220 dwellings within the Voluntary Purchase Area for the London to West Midlands Route announced on 9 April. Our aim is where possible to avoid serious impacts on local residents and enable people to remain in their homes. We expect to consult shortly on further measures that may make that choice more attractive for homeowners.
Pending future decisions on routes and designs, we have made no similar estimates for other proposed sections of HS2.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish an updated cost benefit analysis for High Speed 2 in light of the decision not to link High Speed 2 with High Speed 1 and Eurostar services.
Mr Robert Goodwill
We will continue to revise and update the economic case for HS2 as new project milestones are reached, such as decisions on the preferred route for Phase 2, to ensure it is based on the best available evidence and latest understanding of the project, including taking account of the decision to remove the existing proposals for the HS1-HS2 link from the scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the excess capacity on peak High Speed 2 services.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The HS2 Economic Case published in October 2013 indicates that the average all-day load factor for HS2 services in 2036 for the full network is expected to be 41%. Peak period load factors are expected to be significantly higher.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources his Department has allocated to help carers of dementia patients.
Norman Lamb
Carers are central to the Government’s reform of social care and support, with significant improvements in the Care Act which extends carers’ rights to an assessment which will be based on the appearance of a need for support. For the first time, local authorities will be required to meet carers’ eligible needs for support. The Act also creates a new statutory principle to promote an individual’s well-being, including health and emotional well-being, which will apply equally to carers.
We have provided £400 million to the National Health Service over four years from 2011 for carers to have breaks from their caring responsibilities. In the 2013 Spending Review, we announced the £3.8 billion Better Care Fund, which includes £130 million funding for carers’ breaks for 2015-16.