HC Deb 20 April 1983 vol 41 c126W
39. Mr. Ron Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why he sanctioned the placing of an order by British Rail to an Austrian company in preference to placing the order with Cowans Sheldon of Carlisle.

Mr. David Howell

The decision to award a contract to Plasser (GB) for the development and exploitation of a pneumatic ballast injection machine was entirely a matter for British Railways management, and did not require my consent. The contract requires that the machine is developed and manufactured in the United Kingdom for home and export markets, and BR will receive a royalty on all machines sold.