§ Mr. Porterasked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration is currently being given to transferring catering facilities on British Rail trains and in stations to the private sector.
§ Mr. David MitchellBritish Rail has already transferred to the private sector some 70 station catering units, 17 of them in the current year, and has attempted to encourage private interest in train catering. My right hon. Friend wrote to the chairman of British Rail on 24 October setting out the objectives which the Government wished him to pursue, and asking him to obtain more support services from the private sector, including train and station catering. I have begun discussions about progressing this with the Railways Board.