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Mr. Chope: Briefly, I point out to the Minister that we have a United Kingdom rail network, with a lot of long-distance services going into and coming out of Scotland. Nothing that she has said will allay the concerns of service operators about the Scottish element interfering to their detriment, so I would be grateful if she could explain how everything will work.
The Minister referred to time constraints, and we now have about three or four minutes left. Sadly, it was the Government themselves who imposed those constraints, so I hope that she will be able to respond in writing to any points that she cannot answer now.
Dr. Pugh: I said that these were minor amendments, and we have now had some minor objections to them. I may not necessarily share the Minister's confidence that all Scottish Ministers for ever and a day will be so assiduous that they never fail to produce a strategy,
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but I take her point. She seems to presuppose that a strategy will necessarily involve development, but that is not the case; it could be a strategy of managed closure. None the less, I shall not press the amendment.
Mr. Knight: No apology was necessary from the Minister. She answered all the points in a detailed, thorough and comprehensive way, and I think that she has convinced me.
Dr. Pugh: I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
Mr. Chope: As we have two minutes left to discuss the clause, may I ask the Minister to explain whether it includes Network Rail operating in Scotland? Will Network Rail Scotland be, in effect, a separate entity under the Bill, or will Network Rail still be funded by central Government, which may mean that it does not make the investment in Scotland that the people of Scotland might want?
Mrs. McGuire: To answer the hon. Gentleman's specific point, Network Rail is exactly that—Network Rail, which is a UK body. In this clause and others, we are transferring to the Scottish Executive some of the functions currently undertaken by the Secretary of State in relation to Network Rail in Scotland. Clause 5 gives Scottish Ministers the power to formulate,
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publish and, from time to time, revise a strategy for carrying out those functions.
Of course, there are some cross-border issues, particularly on the east coast and west coast main lines, but the reality is that there is an almost entirely discrete railway system in Scotland. In the interests of developing a strategic and integrated transport network in Scotland, it therefore seemed sensible to transfer to the Scottish Executive some of the functions currently exercised by the Secretary of State. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will see the logic in that position, notwithstanding his concerns about the impact that decisions might have on areas outside Scotland.
It is in all our interests to ensure that we have an integrated network throughout the UK, and those of us who travel into London not only from Heathrow, but from stations throughout Scotland, understand the benefit of integration. As regards the discrete element of the Scottish railway network, however, this clause and others represent a vital step forward in developing a modern transport infrastructure for the 21st century.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 5 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Committee adjourned at twenty-five minutes past Eleven o'clock till Tuesday 11 January at twenty-five minutes past Nine o'clock.
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