§ The Prime MinisterI fear that I must give the hon. Gentleman the same reply as I gave him last time. I have no plans to visit his constituency yet. I am sorry about that.
§ Mr. BakerI am disappointed and I shall keep trying. It is a great pity because many of my constituents who rely on public transport would like to meet the Prime 1056 Minister. Is he aware that, since 1974, the cost of rail travel has increased by 78 per cent. above inflation and the cost of bus travel has increased by 57 per cent. above inflation but the cost of private car travel has decreased by 6.5 per cent? Is not that an indictment of the previous Government and a green tax in reverse? Will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that in the weeks ahead the Government will take action to ensure that bus and rail fares are cut?
§ The Prime MinisterI cannot give that undertaking, but I can give an undertaking that the White Paper on the integrated transport strategy will deal precisely with how we ensure that the different forms of travel fit in with one another and how we make a regulatory system that matches the needs of consumers. What impact that will have on fares in the long term it is too early to say, but that approach is the right one—rather than leaving it to market forces—and I hope that it will be welcomed by the hon. Gentleman's constituents.