Rail Privatisation (Hansard, 30 June 1995)

§ Mr. Bayley
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the current timetable for privatising(a) Railtrack, (b) British Rail's infrastructure maintenance units, (c) British Rail's track renewal units, (d) Signalling Control UK, (e) Interlogic Control Engineering and (f) British Rail Telecoms. [31593]

§ Mr. Watts
Railtrack is to be privatised within the lifetime of this Parliament. BR's infrastructure maintenance units and track renewal units are expected to be sold by the end of the year. Signalling Control UK, Interlogic Engineering and British Rail Telecoms have recently been offered for sale to the private sector; BR aims to complete the sales as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Bayley
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the timetable for privatising each of the British Rail train operating units. [31594]

§ Mr. Watts
In December 1994, the franchising director invited interested parties to prequalify in respect of eight franchises; Great Western LTS Rail, South West Trains, Gatwick Express, Network South Central, Intercity East Coast, Midland Main Line and ScotRail. Invitations to tender in respect of Great Western, LTS Rail and South West Trains were issued in May. The franchising director aims to let the first franchises by the end of 1995. He aims to issue further invitations to tender later this year. The remaining franchises are being prepared in accordance with the franchising director's view of their readiness of sale.

§ Mr. Bayley
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer on 21 April,Official Report, column 299, if he will set out the current timetable for privatising the British Rail civil engineering design 808W offices in (a) Birmingham, (b) Croydon, (c) Glasgow, (d) Swindon and (e) York; and if the BR vendor unit expects to sell all the offices to the same bidder. [31641]

§ Mr. Watts
The BR board's negotiations with bidders for these offices are well advanced. The board hopes to complete most of them shortly; it does not envisage selling all the offices to the same bidder.