To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the average age of (a) electric and (b) diesel powered rolling stock on the rail network was in (i) 1997, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2009; and what the equivalent average ages are expected to be in (A) 2014, (B) 2020 and (C) 2030. (308852)

The Department for Transport does not hold data for these specific categories. However, overall average age figures for the national rail fleet are published in the National Rail Trends on the Office of Rail Regulation's website at:

www.rail-reg.gov.uk

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on how many occasions, and in each case in respect of how many vehicles, his Department has exercised its right to buy from the rolling stock companies rolling stock which those companies have identified (a) for scrapping and (b) for export in each year since 1997. (308854)

The Department for Transport inherited this right to buy rolling stock in 2005 from the Strategic Rail Authority. Since this date, the Department has not exercised the right to buy rolling stock that has been identified by the leasing companies for scrapping or sale.

Rolling stock is normally only offered to the Department when the ROSCO has exhausted all avenues to lease it or does not see a good business case for ownership. As a rule the vehicles they have offered to the Department are usually intended for scrapping such as the Mark 1 slam door stock.