Tony Blair yesterday met with transport secretary, Stephen Byers, and chancellor, Gordon Brown, to finalise the details of the planned public-private partnership for the London Underground.

The high level meeting is seen as evidence of the importance of the PPP for the government's public sector reform plans.

However, as Byers prepares to announce the PPP's go-ahead tomorrow, the Commons transport select committee questioned the safety and value of the proposals.

"It was difficult for us to find anything good in this particular deal," said Gwyneth Dunwoody, chairman of the committee.