§ Mr. Cyril D. Townsendasked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the findings of the electrification review.
§ Mr. FowlerI am publishing today the final report of the joint British Rail/Department of Transport review of the case for a programme of main line electrification. It presents several broad issues which the Government will now need to consider. Electrification would require substantial extra investment, primarily for the benefit of the British Railways Board's commercial rail businesses—inter-city and freight. It would also make cash flow demands until well into the 1990s. In economic terms the report presents a favourable asessment. I shall have to consider carefully the prospects of the board's commercial businesses and how the funds to finance electrification might be generated. I will make a further statement in due course.
Copies of the report are available in the Vote Office.