§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what tonnage of freight was transported by railway in each year since 1974; and what percentage this represented of total freight movements.
§ Mr. FreemanAnnual freight tonnages moved by rail can be found in table 9.3 of "Transport Statistics Great862W Britain 1992," a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Rail's percentage share for the years 1981 to 1991 is shown in table 1.9; comparable data for ealier years may be found in previous editions.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, columns 418–19, if he will now make public payment for track costs of rail freight operations in advance of conclusions to the parliamentary consideration of rail privatisation.
§ Mr. FreemanNo. Such payments must await the clear identification of track costs which the formal establishment of Railtrack will bring and the designation of the Secretary of State as the competent authority under EC regulation 1893–91.