§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the options being considered for the future operation and management of British Rail; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he has any plans to set up a national track authority to lease track time to competing companies on a national or regional basis; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he has any plans to re-introduce regional railway companies to operate a full range of services; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloI am considering the long-term options for British Rail including privatisation. The possibilities for privatisation include: a single privatised company to run the entire network; a division into several independent companies based on British Rail's business sectors; a division into a number of independent regional companies; a vertically separated railway industry with track owned by a track authority on which independent companies would run services; or a combination of these. We are not yet in a position to take decisions.