§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what conclusions he has reached on the report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on railway services provided by Northern Ireland Railways; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrookeI have placed today in the Library of the House the initial response produced by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, in consultation with the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company and Northern Ireland Railways, to the report submitted by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in December 1990.
I am grateful to the commission for the comprehensive review it carried out. While commending NIR's 145W management for its dedication and resilience in maintaining services despite terrorist disruption and confirming that the company did not operate against the public interest, the commission found that there was scope for improving efficiency and reducing costs. The commission identified the principal challenges facing the company as the need to modernise a railway heavily dependent on subsidy, the rationalisation of its complex pay system, sharp competition from bus and car, and the effect of terrorist disruption on the passenger base.
The report made 34 recommendations and all have been accepted. Some are already being implemented. Others require further consideration about the manner of implementation. The outcome should be a significant improvement of services to the public and the management of the company.
The Department continues to be in dialogue with the Transport holding company and Northern Ireland Railways about the implementation of the recommendations and I shall report on progress to the House in due course.