To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the factors taken into account by local authorities in deciding whether or not to introduce road-pricing schemes; and if he will make a statement. (181584)

[holding answer 24 January 2008]: I have been asked to reply.

The Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) will support packages of local measures that tackle congestion problems by combining demand management, including road pricing, with better public transport. These packages will be locally designed solutions to local congestion problems. The factors we expect local authorities to take into account are available in ‘TIF: Guidance on Business Case Requirements for Programme Entry’ available at:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/tif/tifguidanceprogrammeentry

We will formally assess business cases that are submitted against the published criteria.

We have made no assessment of the factors taken into account by local authorities deciding not to introduce road pricing schemes.