Keith Hill

The Minister for London responds to an article by Ken Livingstone that criticised the Government's plans for funding transport initiatives in the capital

Ken Livingstone should have got his facts right and his figures straight in the article headlined "The Government will be punished if it defies the wishes of Londoners".

Ken Livingstone should have got his facts right and his figures straight in the article headlined "The Government will be punished if it defies the wishes of Londoners".

I am pleased Ken agrees that the Comprehensive Spending Review's £3.2bn over three years represents "a very good settlement" for London and Londoners. But he appears to be confused when it comes down to matters of detail.

The Mayor of London will have to pay outstanding London Underground Jubilee Line Extension bills when he inherits responsibility for the Tube. However, far from subtracting this amount from his budget at the 11th hour, the Government has actually provided Ken Livingstone with extra money to meet these very bills.

Ken is right to say that this money didn't feature in the discussions between our officials and his - because it is completely over and above the settlement we have given him for his new transport initiatives.

The Mayor of London has in fact received an increase in transport funding from £564m this year to £722m next year (which is completely separate from the Jubilee Line money). This represents a 28 per cent increase on the money that is available in 2000 - compared to a 24 per cent increase for transport funding overall.

Contrary to what Ken Livingstone says, this settlement and the £25 billion announced in the longer-term 10-Year Plan for Transport, which has been welcomed right across the board, give Londoners a fantastic deal on transport.