§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the total costs to date of preparations for privatising the British Rail system; and what is his estimate of such costs over each of the next four years, including any cost of regulation.
§ Mr. WattsTotal costs of rail privatisation to date of the Department, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising, and the Office of the Rail Regulator, are £48 million.
The costs of BR and Railtrack are primarily a matter for the industries themselves. However, we understand that their total costs to date are around £160 million.
Forward plans of expenditure by the Department, Opraf, and Orr for 1995–96 to 1997–98 will be published in the Transport Report 1995. Projected expenditure by BR and Railtrack is a matter for them.