§ 13. Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the consultants who have been working on rail privatisation; and what is the cost to date of such consultants.
§ Mr. FreemanI will write to the hon. Member with full details, but the Department employs 10 consultants. The cost for the financial year 1993–94 is estimated at £12 million.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the extent to which British Rail would be able to undercut private sector enterprises tendering for rail franchises.
§ Mr. FreemanNo such estimates are possible, but I am concerned that it would be very difficult to have a fair and equal competition if British Rail was a bidder.
§ Mr. DayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the proposed creation of RailTrack in April 1994 and the introduction of a new track charging regime will not result in additional financial burdens falling on metropolitan local authorities.
§ Mr. FreemanI have given a commitment to the metropolitan local authorities that, if the restructuring of the railway industry results in higher charges in 1994–95 for the service levels that they currently support, measures will be taken, including, if necessary, the payment of special grants, to ensure that these changes do not result in an additional financial burden falling on them in 1994–95. I will be discussing the position for future years with them.