Minister must stay says SNP

Railtrack has collapsed with massive debts

Scotland's First Minister has been asked to safeguard his transport minister's job - by the Scottish National Party.

Henry McLeish was urged to leave Sarah Boyack in post if he conducts a Cabinet reshuffle.

Andrew Wilson, the SNP's transport spokesman, made the unusual call during a Holyrood debate on the future of the railways in Scotland on Wednesday.

The debate, which has been prompted by the financial collapse of Railtrack, witnessed nationalist calls for the establishment of a not-for-profit trust to take over the running of Scotland's railway infrastructure.

The SNP wants Sarah Boyack to stay in post

Mr Wilson said: "I believe the government are absolutely sincere about their intention to improve the railways and about their intention to improve railway investment.

"I would like to take this opportunity this morning to call on the first minister to keep the transport minister in her post.

"I would like to say I think she should stay in her post. A change of face is less than important than giving her the powers and finance that will allow her to deliver.

"I want her to have the same control of the railways as she does over roads, only then will we get a proper balance approach to transport policy."

The SNP asked the executive to:

• Re-examine the financial and policy powers at the disposal of ministers with respect to railways investment

• Develop an ownership and investment vehicle for Railtrack assets in Scotland that maximises both public accountability and investment on a not for profit basis

Mr Wilson had already called for the setting up of a Scottish public rail investment trust (Sprint) to deliver around £700m by linking investment to the Barnett Formula.

He argued that the establishment of Sprint was the "only way to ensure Scotland does not lose out as predicted in the future allocation of capital funding for railways".

However, Ms Boyack rejected the SNP's suggestion, claiming Scotland did not need a "back of an envelope scheme".

The minister said: "The railways are too important for that. We need a framework for strategic framework investment that meets our priorities for an integrated network.

"The last thing the railways need is more fragmentation. We need a UK rail framework so that Scottish passengers get the high safety standards and reliability they deserved.

"The last thing the rail industry needs is another quick fix."

Andrew Wilson: Opposes a "change of face"

Meanwhile, Ms Boyack met with rail companies on Wednesday to discuss the options open to the industry.

The hour-long meeting involved representatives from Railtrack Scotland, ScotRail, Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive, the Rail Passengers Committee Scotland, GNER, EWS, Virgin and Freightliner.

Ms Boyack said it was too early to speculate on what course of action would be taken by the executive and the rail operators in the future.

But she would not be drawn on speculation that ScotRail could take over the control of rail infrastructure north of the border.