HC Deb 11 June 1992 vol 209 cc235-6W
Mr. Welsh

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the level of Government investment in British Rail provided in(a) million pounds, (b) the amount needed to equal the 1979 allocation in real terms and (c) the percentage excess or shortfall compared to the 1979 allocation in real terms; and if he will provide a breakdown by the following (i) investment ceiling, (ii) total investment by BR and subsidiaries and (iii) railways for each year since 1979.

Mr. Freeman

[holding answer 8 June 1992] British Rail's investment ceiling for 1992–93 is currently set at £983 million for the existing railway and at £755 million for the new railway. The combined ceiling for both existing and new railways therefore stands at £1,738 million. Rail investment by BR in 1979 was £620 million in 1992–93 prices. The ceiling for 1992–93 therefore represents an increase of 180 per cent. on the figure for 1979.

The annual breakdown by investment ceiling, total investment and rail investment appears in the table.

British Rail Investment 1979 to 1991–92
£ million in 1992–93 prices
Investment Ceiling Group Investment Rail Investment
1979 n/a n/a 620
1980 730 693 635
1981 744 576 519
1982 750 469 423
1983 n/a 465 417
1984–85 n/a 511 438
1985–86 n/a 605 590
1986–87 n/a 625 572
1987–88 n/a 751 715
1988–89 n/a 762 692
1989–90 n/a 868 831
1990–91 n/a 932 959
1991–92 1,202 n/a 1,045

Notes:

  1. 1. Rail investment excludes non-rail business such as BR Property Board, ships and hotels.
  2. 2. 1984–85 was a 15-month period. The figure given is a 12-month equivalent.
  3. 3. The figure for rail investment for 1991–92 is a DTp estimate.