§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate such information as is available to him as to the revenue turnover of each of the national railway systems of the Member States of the European Economic Community in either pound sterling equivalents, or ecu, together with the related sum derived from all public funds and its percentage of costs together with the equivalent figures for capital investment.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe most recent information available to my Department on the revenues, costs and public subsidy levels of the European Community's railway systems is contained in the Eighth Commission report on the transposed annual accounts of railway undertakings for 1984, (COM(87) 311 final), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. There are substantial variations between countries in accounting systems and in the arrangements for financial support, and the figures contained in the report only provide a broad comparison. We have no equivalent figures for capital investment.
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§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate for each financial year from 1982–83 the total revenue support for the British Railways Board in both actual sums and at 1987 prices.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe figures for Government support for the British Railways Board taken from the final claims for grant in compensation for the public service obligation under EEC Regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974 and for level crossings grant under EC Regulation 1192/69 from 1982 to 1986–87 are given below; 1984–85 is a 15-month period reflecting a change in the British Railways Board financial year. The figures for 1985–86 and 1986–87 remain provisional; final claims have not yet been agreed. The following table also includes payments by the passenger transport executives under section 20(4) of the Transport Act 1968, as reported in the British Railways Board annual report and accounts.
Cash 1987–88 prices £ million £ million 1982 PSO Grant 819.7 1,036.9 Level Crossings Grant 18.6 23.5 PTE Payments 69.9 88.4 1983 PSO Grant 853.6 1,028.2 Level Crossings Grant 19.4 23.4 PTE Payments 77.8 93.7 1984–85 PSO Grant 1,065.9 1,227.4 Level Crossings Grant 23.0 26.5 PTE Payments 103.2 118.8 1985–86 PSO Grant 820.0 882.6 Level Crossings Grant 19.7 21.2 PTE Payments 76.8 82.7 1986–87 PSO Grant 713.9 746.0 Level Crossings Grant 18.3 19.1 PTE Payments 72.5 75.8
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate is available to him of the reduction in rail fares required to bring about a switch of passenger traffic of 2, 5 and 10 per cent., respectively, from road to rail; and what estimate he has of the respective increases required in Exchequer support for British Rail.
§ Mr. David MitchellThere are in general no reliable estimates available of changes of this magnitude. The effect would vary widely from area to area depending on rail market share and other factors.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been (a) made by his Department and (b) submitted to his Department by British Rail as part of the Channel tunnel construction programme of the cost of improvements to the London-to-Dover main line needed to permit a 150 m.p.h. maximum speed over its straight sections; and if he will make it his policy to authorise the necessary expenditure.
§ Mr. David MitchellI have asked the British Railways Board to carry out by next June a study of the best way of improving capacity and service quality, including speed, 917W on the route between London and the Channel tunnel for both domestic and international traffic. The study will include estimates of cost.
We expect the board's investments in connection with the Channel tunnel to meet the usual criteria for investment in their commercial sectors.