§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement outlining which functions under the railway proposals will control the means of production and delivery of rail services.
§ Mr. FreemanUnder our proposals the responsibility for the track and infrastructure will be for Railtrack, the new national track authority. Existing passenger services will be franchised to private sector operators who will bid competitively to run services. Freight services will be provided by private sector operators. On the question of vertical integration, I refer my hon. Friend to the statement which my right hon. Friend made in his speech on 2 February on Second Reading of the Railways Bill,Official Report, column 163.