To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which organisation will undertake the consultation for the new East Coast Mainline timetable; when that consultation will start and end; and where consultation responses should be sent to. (313629)

Public consultation on proposals for a new East Coast Main Line timetable is being carried out by East Coast—the current operator of those services. I understand that consultation has already commenced and will run until the end of February. Details of the proposals and the address for responses are available on East Coast's website at:

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when the tendering process for East Coast rail services is likely to begin; and whether an option to continue Kings Cross to Glasgow via Newcastle services will be included in the tender. (313697)

The Invitation to Tender for the new Intercity East Coast franchise will be issued in autumn 2010.

The Department for Transport is consulting stakeholders on the specification for the new ICEC franchise. The service specification will be based on the timetable implemented in May 2011, which as currently proposed does include one service each way between Glasgow and King’s Cross.

Under the proposed May 2011 timetable, most East Coast services to/from Scotland will operate to/from Edinburgh and Cross-country services between Penzance/Plymouth and Edinburgh will be extended to/from Glasgow, providing a two-hourly through service between Glasgow, Edinburgh, stations on the East Coast Main Line as far south as York, Leeds, Sheffield, the Midlands and south-west England.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the financial savings that would result from cancelling (a) the East Coast pilot fleet of the Inter-city Express Programme and (b) the Inter-city Express Programme East Coast depot. (314076)

The 'pilot fleet' or Pre-Series Trains concept no longer applies.

The Department for Transport has appraised costs of East Coast Main Line depot provision. It is not appropriate to comment further as confidential commercial negotiations with Agility Trains are ongoing.