§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to reclaim grants which have been paid to companies to assist in the construction of private rail sidings, where those companies have now closed the sidings and transferred the movement of goods to roads.
§ Mr. FreemanIt is a condition of the freight facilities grants scheme that companies must notify the Secretary of State of proposals to cease operation of rail facilities for which grant has been paid. In such cases it is up to the Secretary of State to determine whether to seek to recover the grant, or part of it, taking into account the length of time over which the facility has been operating, the value for money obtained from the grant and the reasons for the closure of the facility.