§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers he has to allow locomotive, wagon and rolling stock manufacturers to acquire surplus British Rail assets for sale or lease to private sector operators in advance of franchising legislation receiving the Royal Assent.
§ Mr. FreemanThis is a commercial matter for British Rail. British Rail is always interested to hear from those who wish to be included in tender lists for surplus rolling stock. For example, freight locomotives have already been sold to railway manufacturers for refurbishment and use in the private sector.
§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to publish an inventory, on a regular basis, of the locomotive, wagon, and rolling stock assets of each proposed passenger franchise and provide the same information for freight services.
§ Mr. FreemanAn inventory of rolling stock assets, including locomotives and wagons, for BR's existing passenger profit centres was published in the consultative document, "The Franchising of Passenger Rail Services", which we issued in October 1992. Updated information will be provided to bidders for passenger franchises when they are formally invited to tender. Information on the assets of the freight businesses will be contained in the information memorandum which will be provided for each business when it is offered for sale.
§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that British866W Rail does not scrap locomotives, wagons and rolling stock which could be acquired by the private sector (a) for operations in advance of franchising routes and (b) for refurbishment to create a second-hand market in advance of refurbishment.
§ Mr. FreemanBR's policy is to dispose of life-expired rolling stock by competitive tender. Not all disposals are scrapped.
BR is storing securely the best assets which successor private operators might be able to use.