HC Deb 25 November 1986 vol 106 c150W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what undertakings were required and given about the maintenance of ferry services operated by British Rail when Sealink was sold.

Mr. David Mitchell

No undertakings were required or given that particular services would be maintained indefinitely. It was envisaged in the sale agreement that British Rail and Sealink would enter into individual contracts requiring either party to give an appropriate term of notice to the other if they wished to terminate the provision of particular connecting rail or ferry services. In fact the only such individual contracts to have been signed were those relating to Freightliner and freight train-ferry services.