§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the sales completed by the BR vendor unit, with the name of purchaser and price paid in each case. [16228]
§ Mr. Watts[pursuant to his answer, 22 February 1996, c. 274]: The sales completed by the British Rail Board are listed. Those where the BR vendor unit has been involved are marked with an asterisk.
Gross proceeds from the sales to date of businesses sold by BR amount to some £304 million. As explained in the Government's response of 14 December 1995 to the Transport Select Committee fourth report, on railway finances, it would be contrary to the commercial interests of British Rail and the Government to publish details of individual sales at this stage, as that may prejudice similar sales still in progress. Details of individual sales completed will be made public in due course.
In addition to that figure, the sale of the rolling stock leasing companies, which was handled by my Department, realised £1,822.23 million.
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BR vendor unit Purchaser Freight Red Star* Raid Ltd. Rail Express Systems Ltd. North and South Railways Ltd. Other businesses Special Train Unit (sale of certain coaches and other assets only)* Flying Scotsman Railway Ltd. Meldon Quarry Ltd.* Camas UK Ltd. BR Telecommunications Ltd.* Racal Electronics Ltd.
BR vendor unit Purchaser OBS Services Ltd.* The European Rail Catering Company Ltd. BR Design Offices DCU Birmingham* Owen Williams Ltd. Mainline Swindon* Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick IDG Glasgow* Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick BPE Mechanical and Engineering Consultancy, Doncaster* James Scott Ltd., a member of AMEC plc Civil Engineering Design Group, York* British Steel plc Powertrack Engineering Company Ltd.* WS Atkins Consultants Ltd. CEDAC London Ltd.* WS Atkins Consultants Ltd. BR Maintenance Ltd. Swindon Electronic Service Centre* ABB Customer Support Ltd. Chart Leacon (Ashford) Depot (Chart Leacon Rail Maintenance Ltd.)* ABB Customer Support Ltd. Ilford Deport (Ilford Rail Maintenance Ltd.)* ABB Customer Support Ltd. Doncaster Depot (Doncaster Rail Maintenance Ltd.)* ABB Customer Support Ltd. Wolverton Depot (Wolverton Hall Maintenance Ltd.)* Railcare Ltd. Springburn (Glasgow) Depot (Glasgow Rail Maintenance Ltd.)* Railcare Ltd. Eastleigh Depot (Eastleigh Rail Maintenance Ltd.)* Wessex Traincare Ltd. BR Central Services Baileyfield Switches and Crossings Works* VAE Baileyfield Ltd. Ditton Timber Treatment Works Quality and Safety Services Ltd. The Pheonix Timber Group plc Ingleby (805) Ltd. Railways Occupational Health Ltd. Occupational Healthcare plc Signalling Control (UK) Ltd. Westinghouse Brake and Signal Holdings Ltd. Interlogic Control Engineering Ltd. ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation (Signal) Ltd. BR Infrastructure Services Scotland Track Renewals Company Ltd. Relayfast Ltd. Scotland Infrastructure Maintenance Company Ltd. Track Action Ltd. * BR vendor unit has been involved.