§ Mr. McMasterasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is aware of the increasing difficulties under which the Belfast Corporation transport department is operating; and whether he proposes to assist the Corporation to deal with these difficulties.
§ Mr. David HowellMy right hon. Friend has the greatest sympathy for the Belfast Corporation transport department and very much admires the way in which management and staff have tried to maintain public transport services in Belfast in the face of quite exceptional difficulties.
The corporation has recently agreed in principle to a merger of its bus undertaking with the bus undertaking of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, and discussions with the interested parties, including the trade unions, are at present going on.
Under the law governing its operations, the corporation's transport department is not able to recover its losses from the rates, and in order to reduce the financial problems my right hon. Friend has authorised the Ministry of Development to make an interim payment of £750,000. He will be reviewing the position in the light of the further negotiations about the merger.