HC Deb 22 January 1996 vol 270 c28W
Mr. Keith Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what due diligence processes his Department has undertaken in relation to the Wisconsin Central and Loadhaul/Omnitrax bids for the British Rail Freight businesses. [9916]

Mr. Watts

All bids were evaluated in detail by British Rail and its professional advisers, and then discussed with my Department before a preferred purchaser was selected.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway freight grants were granted in each year since 1987; and what was their total value in each year. [10865]

Mr. Watts

The Government have awarded 28 railway freight facilities grants since 1987. The value of the awards were as follows:

  • 1987: £2,595,810
  • 1988: £651,473
  • 1989: £4,145,985
  • 1990: £765,000
  • 1991: £1,771,000
  • 1992: £7,601,500
  • 1993: £403,000
  • 1994: £2,911,720
  • 1995: £7,348,219

The full list of awards can be found in the House of Commons Library.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of freight grants in encouraging the transfer of goods from road to rail. [10880]

Mr. Watts

More than 200 schemes have benefited from these grants at a cost of £90 million, removing more than 3 million lorry journeys per year from the roads.