§ Mr. AdleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to hasten the creation of a single market in transport in the European Community.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe creation of a single market in transport is a key objective for the Government. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and my hon. Friend the Minister for Roads and Traffic attended the EC Transport Council in Luxembourg on 21 and 22 June and secured agreement to a directive on the development of Community railways which will allow access by individual rail companies to other member states' railway systems for the purpose of combined transport operations. In addition my right hon. Friend stressed the pressing need to fulfil the legal requirement to liberalise international road passenger transport, while my hon. Friend emphasised that progress had to be made on liberalising maritime cabotage.
The June Transport Council is but a recent example of the many meetings in which the Government have pressed our Community partners for more rapid movement in establishing a genuine single market in transport. The Luxembourg European Council on 20 June made a new series of commitments to liberalisation in the various transport modes.