The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total amount his Department has spent on consultant fees relating to the Intercity Express Programme to date.
Claire Perry
From 2005 to October 2009, £21m was spent. Since then further spend has been incurred taking the total as at February 2015 to £46m.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total amount his Department has spent on consultant fees for the Great Western direct award to date.
Claire Perry
The total amount the Department has spent on consultancy fees for the Great Western Direct Award (DA) from November 2012 to date (January 2015) is approximately £1.6m. This amount is inclusive of VAT.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to sign off the Great Western direct award.
Claire Perry
We currently expect to conclude negotiations with First Great Western, and finalise the second Directly Awarded franchise contract during March 2015, for the provision of services from September 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish evidence held by his Department supporting the conclusion that passengers on Great Western services do not wish to have buffet cars on the new Intercity Express Programme trains.
Claire Perry
The catering provision in the Great Western Inter City Express fleet reflects the preferences of the operator who are closest to their passengers’ priorities. It is a matter for First Great Western whether they wish to release the information supporting the decision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of whether the Coastguard Service’s VHF radio systems are fit for purpose (a) generally and (b) in relation to the work of the Maritime Operations Centre at Fareham.
Mr John Hayes
There were no issues experienced with the VHF radio network on 2 February 2015.
However, on 8 February 2015 there was a temporary reduction in HM Coastguard’s ability to broadcast on VHF Channel 16 from Marsland Mouth, Cornwall to Beachy Head, East Sussex and River Towey, Carmarthen to Mull of Galloway. This lasted for 1 hour 47 minutes.
During this time the 999 service and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Distress alert systems were unaffected. There was no reduction in HM Coastguard’s ability to task rescue resources, such as lifeboats, volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams or SAR Helicopters, to any incident around the coast.
HM Coastguard’s well established Business Continuity Plans allowed remedial action to be promptly undertaken and enabled vessels on the waters affected during the period of the breakdown to make contact with the Coastguard Service. The specific issue that caused the reduced ability to broadcast on VHF Channel 16 has now been resolved.
The Coastguard services (VHF systems) are currently fit for purpose both (a) generally and (b) specifically for the new national network.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the breakdown of Fareham Maritime Operations Centre’s VHF radio network on 2 February 2015, how long the breakdown lasted; which body of water was affected by the breakdown; which communications systems were affected by the breakdown; and what information his Department holds on attempts by vessels on the waters affected during the period of the breakdown to make contact with the Coastguard Service using the affected communications networks.
Mr John Hayes
There were no issues experienced with the VHF radio network on 2 February 2015.
However, on 8 February 2015 there was a temporary reduction in HM Coastguard’s ability to broadcast on VHF Channel 16 from Marsland Mouth, Cornwall to Beachy Head, East Sussex and River Towey, Carmarthen to Mull of Galloway. This lasted for 1 hour 47 minutes.
During this time the 999 service and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Distress alert systems were unaffected. There was no reduction in HM Coastguard’s ability to task rescue resources, such as lifeboats, volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams or SAR Helicopters, to any incident around the coast.
HM Coastguard’s well established Business Continuity Plans allowed remedial action to be promptly undertaken and enabled vessels on the waters affected during the period of the breakdown to make contact with the Coastguard Service. The specific issue that caused the reduced ability to broadcast on VHF Channel 16 has now been resolved.
The Coastguard services (VHF systems) are currently fit for purpose both (a) generally and (b) specifically for the new national network.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the cost of replacing Pacer trains in the Northern rail franchise due to start in February 2016.
Claire Perry
In putting together the business base for the new Northern rail franchise, we have discussed the options for phasing out Pacers with the Treasury. Our specifications for the Northern franchise will be set out in the Invitation to Tender document, which will be published shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.
Claire Perry
Since January 2011, as part of the Government’s transparency programme, details of procurement opportunities, tender documents and contracts worth over £10,000 are published online on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) also publishes details of its contracts on its web site (http://ccs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/).
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total value of contracts his Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.
David Mundell
Other than minor or bespoke purchases, the Scotland Office does not undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. It utilises existing service contracts between suppliers and the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice.
In each of the last five financial years, the total value of the contracts the Scotland Office had with private sector providers is shown below:
|
2009-10 |
£88,697.01 |
|
2010-11 |
£88,698.01 |
|
2011-12 |
£91549.26 |
|
2012-13 |
£94,400.51 |
|
2013-14 |
£121,322.30 |
All of the contracts relate to accommodation services and a proportion of the costs are recharged to other departments which share accommodation with the Scotland Office.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Prime Minister, when and how he was first made aware of files relating to HSBC and tax evasion.
Mr David Cameron
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson) on 11 February 2015, Official Report, columns 774-775.