§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full list of all statements made by Ministers in his Department, and/or press notices issued by his Department, which referred to a possible start and/or completion date for refurbishment of the west coast main line, the date on which each such statement was made, and the possible start and/or completion date which was mentioned.
§ Mr. Freeman[holding answer 18 January 1994]On 1 December 1993, my right hon. Friend announced the Government's decision that the modernisation of the west coast main line would be taken forward as a privately financed project. Railtrack would invite expressions of interest from the private sector to work with it in devising new performance standards for the route. At the same time, he announced plans for a competition in late 1994 to select a private sector consortium to modernise the line and maintain it for a defined period.