§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total receipts from the privatisation of trust ports to date.
§ Mr. NorrisThe total receipts to the Exchequer from the five ports privatised last year under the Ports Act 1991 was £169 million.
§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the timetable for privatisation of the next wave of trust ports.
§ Mr. NorrisI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 March,Official Report, column 769. The power that the Secretary of State has under the Ports Act 1991, to require the larger trust ports. with a turnover above a specified threshold, to privatise themselves, will become available after 24 July 1993. The Secretary of State expects to make an announcement as soon as he has completed his consideration on the way in which he should use his power of compulsion.
All trust ports can use the Act at any time to take action to privatise themselves. Five have already done so, we hope more will follow.
§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those trust ports with whom he has discussed privatisation.
§ Mr. NorrisThe Secretary of State has not yet decided which trust ports he will formally consult, under the terms of the Ports Act 1991, in respect of his power to require privatisation.