§ Mr. Clark Hutchisonasked the Minister of Transport if she will refuse to approve an application from the British Railway Board to remove the rails and dispose of the land on the suburban routes to and round Edinburgh which have been closed to passenger traffic.
§ Mr. John Morris:My right hon. Friend considers requests for the disposal of formation and station sites on their 276W merits, and in each case consults the appropriate Economic Planning Council about any planning implications before giving or withholding her agreement. On Scottish lines she also consults my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. She will consider any further requests in the Edinburgh area in the same way. The actual rails and signaling apparatus are subject to rapid deterioration and vandalism and the Board are free to sell them off without my right hon. Friend's agreement.