good transport system is a pre-condition of the long-term economic growth required to drive the UK’s economic recovery. At a time of major public expenditure cut-backs, it is vital that every pound is invested to greatest effect.
The Government has made it clear that reducing the fiscal deficit is its top priority and that public expenditure will be reduced in all areas except health and overseas aid. The Secretary of State for Transport has stated that, within the context of lower levels of expenditure, he will prioritise those transport investment schemes which support economic growth.
The relationship between transport and the UK’s long-term economic growth was investigated at length by Sir Rod Eddington in 2006. The Eddington Transport Study, HM Treasury and Department for Transport, TSO, December 2006 The priorities for investment were identified as reducing congestion in urban areas, on key inter-urban corridors and at key international gateways (major ports and airports). The Transport Select Committee will inquire into whether conditions have materially changed since Sir Rod’s report and what the priorities should now be, in order to deliver growth, both nationally and regionally.
Contributors may wish to focus on the following issues:
* Have the UK’s economic conditions materially changed since the Eddington Transport Study and, if so, does this affect the relationship between transport spending and UK economic growth?
* What type of transport spending should be prioritised, in the context of an overall spending reduction, in order best to support regional and national economic growth?
* How should the balance between revenue and capital expenditure be altered?
* Are the current methods for assessing proposed transport schemes satisfactory?
* How will schemes be planned in the absence of regional bodies and following the revocation and abolition of regional spatial strategies?
Interested parties are invited to submit evidence by Thursday 23 September.
The Comprehensive Spending Review is due to be published in late October. The Committee would welcome supplementary written evidence relating to the CSR after then.
The Eddington Transport Study, HM Treasury and Department for Transport, TSO, December 2006
Notes on the submission of written evidence
It assists the Committee if those submitting written evidence adhere to the following guidelines:
1. Written submissions should be as short as is consistent with conveying the relevant information. As a rough guide, it is usually helpful if they can be confined to six pages or less. Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference. A single-page summary of the main points is sometimes helpful. The submission should be in a form suitable for monochrome photocopying.
2. Evidence should be submitted in Word or Rich Text format, by e-mail to transev@parliament.uk<mailto:transev@parliament.uk>. The body of the e-mail should include a contact name, telephone number and postal address. It should be absolutely clear who the submission is from, particularly whether it is on behalf of an organisation or in the name of an individual.
3. Once accepted by the Committee, written evidence becomes the Committee’s property and it may decide to publish it or make other public use of it. If the Committee decides to accept your contribution as evidence we will email you formally accepting it as such. An acknowledgement of formal acceptance will be sent once all formalities have been completed. You may publicise or publish your submission yourself, once you receive the formal acceptance of your evidence to the Committee. When doing so, please indicate that it has been submitted to the Committee.
4. Though the Committee is happy to receive copies of published material, formal submissions of evidence should be original work and not published elsewhere.
5. Committee staff are happy to give more detailed guidance on giving evidence to a select committee, or further advice on any aspect of the Committee’s work, by phone or e-mail.
Further information:
Committee Membership is as follows:
Mrs Louise Ellman (Labour/Co-operative, Liverpool Riverside) (Chair); Angie Bray (Conservative, Ealing Central and Acton); Lilian Greenwood (Labour, Nottingham South); Mr Tom Harris (Labour, Glasgow South); Kelvin Hopkins (Labour, Luton North); Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative, Spelthorne); Mr John Leech (Liberal Democrat, Manchester Withington); Paul Maynard (Conservative, Blackpool North and Cleveleys); Angela Smith (Labour, Penistone and Stocksbridge); Iain Stewart (Conservative, Milton Keynes South); Julian Sturdy (Conservative, York Outer)
