Clause 13
Greater London Authority Bill
4:00 pm
Michael Gove (Shadow Minister (Housing), Communities and Local Government; Surrey Heath, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 49, in clause 13, page 13, line 4, at end insert—
‘(9A) In issuing a direction under sub-paragraph (9) above, the chief finance officer shall have regard to the separate respective statutory functions of the London Assembly and the London Transport Users’ Committee.’.
The amendment stands in the names of the hon. Members for Carshalton and Wallington and for Lewes as well as in those of my colleagues. The Minister mentioned that, as part of the London assembly’s component budget, an element exists to fund the London transport users committee, or TravelWatch. The principal aim of the amendment is to ensure that, when the budget is set, appropriate regard is taken of the specific requirements of the London transport users committee.
We appreciate that, for a variety of reasons—the consequences of public-private partnership and the tube, the Mayor’s plans for the westward extension of the congestion charge, the Mayor’s strategy on bus usage and the Mayor’s decision to move to Oyster cards rather than the former system of a payment when it comes to the use of London’s underground—Transport for London, its functions and its policies have come under increasing scrutiny since the Mayor took office, and will come under increasing scrutiny in the years ahead. It seems appropriate to acknowledge that TravelWatch is likely to become even more active on behalf of Londoners and their interests. If, as we expect, that is the case, we want to ensure that that valuable body receives the funding that it deserves—and that it does not receive it at the expense of the assembly and the scrutiny function that it discharges. The amendment would provide greater clarity and assurance for those who rely on the London transport users committee. By accepting it, the Government would show that they were serious about taking account of the views of Londoners when it comes to important transport matters.
Finally, most of the transport issues that I have touched on relate to the speed and confidence with which Londoners can travel around the capital city. However, there is another area to which the London transport users committee might wish to pay increasing attention: security and safety. None of us can have failed to be moved by the resilience and stoicism of the family of Tom ap Rhys Pryce following his murder in Brent last year. His murder underlined the growing concern of many that travel round London is less secure than once it was. We appreciate the part that the Metropolitan Police Authority, the Metropolitan police and British Transport police play in trying to ensure the safety of all travellers. However, it is vital that the body that speaks for London transport users should have a chance to have an enhanced budget so that its role in trying to provide increased or enhanced security for London transport users is respected.