§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail about new signalling systems on the Chiltern lines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloA scheme to resignal the Chiltern lines forms part of a package of measures to modernise the infrastructure on the route and is one of the prototype schemes for automatic train protection. The railway inspectorate will be discussing the details with British Rail at the appropriate time.
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on(a) the percentage of signals (i) nationally and (ii) on the Chiltern lines which are paraffin-lit and (b) that are currently out of action.
§ Mr. PortilloI have no such information. If the hon. Lady has a particular concern about the use of paraffin-lit signals she might wish to write to me.