§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any request from the National 670W Freight Corporation for financial assistance to meet the extra charges caused by British Rail increasing its freightliner services.
§ Mr. CarmichaelNo.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has consulted the Yorkshire Humberside Economic Planning Board, the Environment Council and his regional road engineer about the consequences of 10,000 containers being transferred to the Hull to Liverpool road due to the closure of the Hull to Liverpool freightliner link.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe decision to discontinue the one train a day service from Hull to Liverpool was taken by the NFC. It is a matter of management for the corporation. The resultant transfer of some 30 containers a day from rail to road did not in my view require the consultations my hon. Friend mentions.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates have been made of the increased subsidies to be met by the Government on social need for the Hull to Doncaster and Hull to Leeds line due to the loss of revenue caused by the closure of the Hull to Liverpool freightliner link.
§ Mr. CarmichaelClosure of this link should not affect the grant payable under Section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, which will supersede the specific grants payable under Section 39 of the Transport Act 1968 from 1st January 1975.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce the system of quantity licensing as set out in the Transport Act 1968.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe Government's policy is to make maximum use of rail for freight movement wherever that makes sense on economic, social or environmental grounds. I consider that the more selective approach offered by the "100 firms" exercise and by grants under Section 8 of the Railways Act is likely to be more immediately effective than quantity licensing.