HC Deb 06 June 1985 vol 80 cc197-8W
Mr. Alexander

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state his policy towards the sale of British Rail's surplus land in the light of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on British Rail's property activities, Cmnd. 9532.

Mr. David Mitchell

The Government's general policy towards British Rail—as towards all other public authorities — is that all land surplus to requirements should be offered for sale as soon as practicable.

The MMC makes no criticism of the board's decision to sell its surplus property, but it says that the implementation of this decision was deficient in some respects and I have asked the board to produce a detailed response to these points, when it replies to the report later in the year.

I welcome the considerable contribution that BR has made to its finances from the sales programme so far. The MMC has made a number of constructive proposals for improving BR's handling of its property, and I shall be looking to British Rail to come forward with continuing programmes for the disposal of further surplus land. It is not the function of public authorities to speculate in the property market, and it is in the interests of the country and the railway that surplus land should be put to productive use in the private sector without delay.

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