No U-turn has been made over the future of London Underground, the transport secretary has claimed.

Embattled transport secretary Stephen Byers denied on Thursday that he had changed his plans to allow the part-privatisation of the Tube.

"The PPP for London Underground will have to satisfy the value-for-money tests. There has been no change of policy here. What we have said very clearly though is that we obviously need to have alternatives in places if that is not achieved," he said.

"What we have not said is what the alternatives would be if value for money is not satisfied. But the issue that was raised was that we have not been talking about value for money."

The Independent reveals that the Health and Safety Executive is "highly unlikely" to back revised safety guidelines to the tube PPP in time for the April 1 deadline set by ministers.