Rail Privatisation (Hansard, 9 May 1994)

§ 27. Sir Teddy Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made over privatisation, with particular reference to the Fenchurch Street line; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Freeman
On 21 April the director of Passenger Rail Franchising published the programme for the sale of the 25 franchises that will be created from the national British Rail passenger rail network. The London, Tilbury and Southend franchise, comprising the line from Fenchurch Street, is in the first group of franchises which will be sold in 1995. It has already started shadow running as a separate operating unit with British Rail.

§ 28. Mr. Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefit to passengers from the privatisation of the railways.

§ Mr. Freeman
The involvement of the private sector in taking responsibility for provision of passenger services will bring additional capital into the railway industry above that provided by the taxpayer and will also introduce new management skills and innovation aimed at meeting more fully the demands of the passenger.

§ Ms Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to maintain lightly used rail services.

§ Mr. Freeman
The Government are committed to supporting socially necessary passenger services through subsidy. There is no reason why privatisation should cause any reduction of services.

§ Ms Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether passengers holding discount tickets on a particular service will be able to use alternative services following privatisation in the event of a cancellation or termination of a train.

§ Mr. Freeman
The scope of interavailability for discount tickets is being considered by the Franchising Director. The question whether these would be valid on alternative services in the event of disruption is likely, as now, to depend on the circumstances of the case.

§ Ms Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many micro-franchises he estimates will be created during rail privatisation; and what benefits this will bring.

§ Mr. Freeman
The Franchising Director is responsible for the sale of franchises. I understand that it is too early to estimate how many micro-franchises might be created. A micro-franchise may offer benefits through the provision of clearly focused services, targeted on a relatively discrete market, where the route involved is substantially self-contained.

§ Mrs. Dunwoody
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the salaries and principal conditions from 1 April of(a) the chairman of British Rail, (b) the chairman of Railtrack, (c) the Rail Regulator and (d) the Franchising Director; and if he will list the percentage increase of their salaries over the 1993–94 rates.
57W

§ Mr. Freeman
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) on 15 AprilOfficial Report, column 333. The 1994–95 salary rates for (a) and (b) have yet to be determined but the salaries for (c) and (d) have been increased by 2.75 per cent. with effect from 1 April 1994. Accordingly the salary for Mr. John Swift QC is now £128,440 and that for Mr. Roger Salmon is £102,750.

§ Ms Quin
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Supersaver ticket will remain, after privatisation, interavailable on all trains.

§ Mr. Freeman
Supersaver is the brand name of a discount ticket offered by BR, and it will be for the train operators to decide whether this name is maintained. The Franchising Director is considering whether the scope of mandatory interavailability should be widened to include such tickets.