§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state each specific benefit he expects to arise from the privatisation of train operations that could not be achieved by public enterprise in each case specifying where such features exist outside the United Kingdom, under which current railway administration and the extent to which that administration is directly or indirectly in receipt of public funds. [26738]
§ Mr. WattsI expect that the advantages of privatisation and competition that we have seen in other industries—improved service to the customer at lower cost—will be achieved by our plans for the railway industry. Great Britain is at the forefront of railway privatisation and liberalisation so the lessons of privatised industries in this country are more relevant than international comparisons.