§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the consequences of privatisation of the Scottish Bus Group for consumers in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonOne of the objectives of privatisation is to increase competition and encourage companies to be more responsive to their customers. Locally based companies should be better placed to meet local needs and management will be freer to respond to local demands on the basis of local knowledge.