HC Deb 09 July 1996 vol 281 c108W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage the transport of freight through the channel tunnel. [36239]

Mr. Watts

On 6 June, the Government announced that Railfreight Distribution, BR's channel tunnel rail freight business, was to be offered for sale. Privatisation will enable the business to be put onto a sound financial footing so that the growth potential of freight services via the channel tunnel can be exploited on a commercial basis, thereby furthering the objective of transferring more freight from road to rail.