Rail Privatisation

Mr. Keith Hill
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has undertaken recently to ensure that the pensions of both current and past British Rail employees are fully protected following future measures of privatisation.

Mr. Freeman
No decisions have yet been taken on the details of rail privatisation, but the Government have already made it clear that pension entitlements will be safeguarded. Detailed discussions with British Rail and its pensions advisers have begun.