§ Mr. BidwellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will direct the BR board to end unfair discrimination against Eastleigh railway workshop in the matter of bidding for contract work with British Rail;
(2) if he will direct the BR board to ensure that Eastleigh works is given the opportunity of bidding for contracts in order to maintain its work force, its range of skills and capital equipment;
(3) if, in the light of prices for white metal bearings work carried out by private companies, he will direct the BR board to transfer such work and other related work to the Eastleigh railway workshop.
§ Mr. PortilloThese are commercial and managerial matters for the Railways Board and British Rail Maintenance Limited, and it would not be appropriate for me to intervene.
§ Mr. BidwellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the savings that could be made for British Rail as the final customer if t he Eastleigh works was allowed to bid on the open market for work.
§ Mr. PortilloNone. This is a commercial matter for the railways board.
§ Mr. BidwellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the work force at British Rail Eastleigh railway workshop concerning bidding for certain lines of railway engineering and maintenance work which it carried out before the privatisation of BREL.
§ Mr. PortilloI have received no such representations.