Freight Transport

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Transport – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 1 July 1991.

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Photo of Malcolm Rifkind Malcolm Rifkind The Secretary of State for Transport 12:00, 1 July 1991

The hon. Gentleman is characteristically wrong both in his facts and his interpretation. First, Speedlink is a decision for British Rail. Secondly, this year, it expects, on a total turnover of £45 million, a loss of about £40 million. If the hon. Gentleman would maintain a business with that sort of loss, it shows why he is unfit to he put in charge of the affairs of this country. Thirdly, the hon. Gentleman seems to be completely unaware that British Rail has already negotiated for more than half its Speedlink traffic to continue to be carried by rail by other means.