asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made with the electrification of the London and Tilbury line.

The British Transport Commission tell me that the technical planning for this electrification scheme is well in hand. The plans for the engineering works at Barking, which include a new fly-over and complete re- construction of the station, are nearly complete. These and other preliminary engineering works, some of which have been started, must precede the electrification itself and will take some years to complete.