Parliamentary Questions - Written Replies

STATION VIOLENCE: Cases of violent crime and sexual assault at British Rail stations went up by 200 last year to 2,720, Roger Freeman, Minister for Public Transport, said last night. His disclosure of the 1993 figure drew a warning from Labour's transport spokesman, Brian Wilson, over de-staffing: 'It shows how crazy it is to keep on de-staffing stations in the run-up to privatisation,' he said, speaking after reports that BR has been told to make further staff cuts of 10 per cent.

STATE WRITE-OFF: Debts totalling pounds 13.796bn were written off before privatisation of 10 state-owned businesses in the past 13 years, Lord Henley, Under- Secretary at the Department of Social Security, said.

CAR GROWTH: The number of cars is expected to grow by between 11 per cent and 16 per cent by 2000, Robert Key, roads minister, said.