§ 46. Mr. Robin F. Cookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he maintains with the authorities responsible for the national railways of European States.
§ Dr. GilbertRegular contacts are maintained by Ministers and officials through the institutions of the EEC, the European Council of Ministers of Transport (ECMT), and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). Bilateral discussions are also held which cover, inter alia, railway matters.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how British Rail productivity, as measured both by train kilometres per employee and by staff per motive power unit,, compares with France, Germany and the United States of America.
§ Dr. John GilbertThe information is as follows:
Train kilometres per employee— Employee per motive power unit— … 1974 1974 British Rail … 1,927 27.1 West Germany … 1,724 39.2 France … 1,594 37.7 U.S.A. railroads … 1,638 17.2
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will commission a study into finding how much industrial dereliction could be removed by making use of idle railway stock.
§ Dr. GilbertBritish Rail is aware of the need to make full use of its assets, and is responsible for exploiting such possibilities.
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of electrified lines exist in the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, Sweden and Japan, respectively.
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§ Dr. GilbertThe figures for the various national railways as at 31st December 1974 are as follows:
Miles United Kingdom … … 2,265 West Germany … … 6,035 France … … 5,775 Sweden … … 4,324 Japan … … 4,325
§ Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from the British Railways Board about its projected number of employees in 1981.
§ Dr. GilbertThe number of British Railways employees in 1981 will depend on the plans adopted for the railways in the light of current consultations about transport policy.