§ Dame Elaine Kellett-BowmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for recognising wider social benefits and making provision for through ticketing when financing new rail infrastructure, with particular regard to the west coast main line.
§ Mr. FreemanUnder our privatisation proposals, ownership of the railway infrastructure will pass to Railtrack, a public sector track authority. Investment in infrastructure will largely be financed from charges to operators but, as stated in the White Paper "New Opportunities for the Railways", the Government may provide direct support for investment schemes not earning an adequate financial return but which have satisfactory cost-benefit returns when wider social and economic benefits are taken into account. No proposals for major investment in the west coast main line have been submitted to the Secretary of State. We have given a clear commitment in the White Paper to preserve through ticketing arrangements across the network.