HC Deb 11 June 1990 vol 174 c60W
16. Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of freight is carried by rail in(a) Great Britain, (b) the United States of America and (c) the European Community countries.

Mr. Freeman

In 1987, the latest year for which international comparisons are available, the proportion of freight tonnes lifted by rail in Great Britain was 8 per cent. The average for the European Community was 8 per cent. We do not have a comparable figure for the United States of America.