asked the Minister of Transport what applications she has received from the Railways Board for approval of capital expenditure to bring about the opening of a regular direct electrical passenger and freight railway service from Stoke-on-Trent to London; and what decisions she has reached.

The £175 million London-Midland electrification scheme, the main part of which has already been completed, includes the electrification of the Cheadle Hulme-Colwich line via Stoke-on-Trent. Regular electric passenger services are expected to start operating between Stoke and London in March, 1967.