asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the capital expenditure on British Railways for each year from 1948, and the estimates for each of the five years from 1966, showing separately investment in rolling stock.

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give the capital expenditure on British Railways for each year from 1948 and the estimates for each of the five years from 1966, showing separately investment in rolling stock.

The figures for the years 1948 to 1965 are given below. For 1966 a total investment allocation of £120 million (including some £4 million for ancillary activities) has been agreed with the British Railways Board; of this it is estimated that about £45 million will be spent on rolling stock. My right hon. Friend is not at present able to forecast the level of the Board's capital expenditure after 1966. Her developing policies for the railways will have some effect on this, as will the demand on national resources generally.