§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what progress is being made with the works requisite for the equipment of the Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Railways with a system of electric traction; and can he state when this system is likely to become generally adopted on these railways, and when the time limit for the completion of the work of electrification will expire.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralBoth the railway companies referred to have informed me that the equipment of their lines for electric traction is progressing rapidly, and that they expect to be able to run trains electrically early in next year. There is no statutory limit of time for the completion of the works.