HC Deb 09 April 1984 vol 58 cc2-3
2. Mr. Yeo

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve public transport in east Anglia.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. David Mitchell)

British Rail has had approval for substantial electrification within and to East Anglia.

Mr. Yeo

I am sure my hon. Friend shares my desire to see as many people as possible using BR in east Anglia. To that end, will he consider encouraging BR to take advantage of the Manpower Services Commission scheme to improve some of the rural railway stations in east Anglia, many of which are in a rather sorry state?

Mr. Mitchell

That is an interesting and helpful suggestion. The youth training scheme is primarily a matter for the Department of Employment. In mid-February BR recruited 936 YTS trainees. Sixty have been taken into permanent jobs and 730 remained on the scheme. Last month the Eastern region had 160 trainees.

Mr. Prescott

In his concern for rural transport, will the Minister recognise that since 1979 about 66 million vehicle miles in stage carriage services have been lost in rural areas? Is it not about time that he got together with the Secretary of State and looked at the interests of rural people instead of giving the kind of answers that he has given today?

Mr. Mitchell

The hon. Gentleman will realise that his question covers a period in which both parties have been in Government——

Mr. Prescott

I said in 1979.

Mr. Mitchell

I beg the hon. Gentleman's pardon. It was a continuation of a trend that had been apparent long before then, as the hon. Gentleman well knows.