§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has been given on the returns available from electrifying the British Rail line from Crewe to Holyhead.
§ Mr. FreemanI understand that work done for Gwynedd, Clwyd and Cheshire councils shows that electrification of this line would not meet British Rail's normal investment criterion of an 8 per cent. financial return. The councils have commissioned further work to establish whether the inclusion of external benefits would secure the required return.