§ Mr. Gerald Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has set a cash limit on the central Government's public service obligation grant to British Rail for 1984; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RidleyThe cash limit for 1984 will be £865 million. At constant prices, this is about 5 per cent. less than the cash limit for 1983, reflecting progress towards achieving the grant target for 1986. The cash limit makes allowance for the transitional costs of reducing the railways' long term grant requirement.
The next step is for the Railways Board to submit a grant claim for 1984. The amount of grant actually to be paid in 1984 will be settled, within the cash limit, in the light of that claim.