Arising out of the Minister's reply in relation to the electrification programme, and in view of the progress which has been made to date, is the Minister in a position to announce the details of the actual programme for building the rolling stock and can he indicate how many jobs may be created by that programme?

I am not in a position to make that announcement as yet. There are further requirements for the rolling stock which have to be quantified before an announcement can be made.

Can the Minister give a timetable as to when some decision will be made on this matter having regard to the fact that the programme is due to be fully operational by January 1983?

Very early in the new year.