§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the date of privatisation of all the York-based British Rail businesses which have been privatised to date, the number of employees in the business at the time of privatisation and the amount of money received for the business; and if he will specify
Business sold or franchised Date sale completed or franchise awarded Gross proceeds (£ million) Employees in whole business at date of sale/franchise award Civil Engineering Design Group York 15 September 1995 3 159 Eastern Track Renewals Company Ltd. 15 March 1996 11 604 InterCity East Coast Franchise 28 March 1996 1— 2,900 Northern Infrastructure Maintenance Company Ltd. 18 June 1996 9 520 1 Franchises are awarded as contracts to run passenger train services in return for the payment of support, where necessary, and may not generate receipts. Support for the InterCity east coast franchise will reduce to nil by the final year of the seven-year franchise period. The Franchising Director aims to award the Regional Railways North East franchise in spring 1997. The number of staff was 2,981 at 31 March 1996.