HC Deb 12 December 1979 vol 975 c1324
Mr. Speaker

I call the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) to give a personal explanation, word for word, as agreed before I came into the Chamber.

Mr. Prescott

During Question Time in the House on 5 December a controversy arose concerning an alleged list of 40 railway line closures proposed as an option in the British Rail corporate review given to the Minister of Transport on 25 October. The Minister stated that no list of such proposed closures had been sent to him. I intervened to inform him and the House that I had a list of such closures bearing the name of the British Rail Board. I then asserted that he had misled the House.

I have read the written replies in today's Official Report given to the right hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. Booth). I therefore unreservedly withdraw the assertion I made that the Minister had previously received the list that I had handed over. I apologise to the Minister and to the House for my allegation that he had misled the House.