HC Deb 14 May 1906 vol 157 cc189-90
MR. CLAUDE HAY

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether ho will state what measures he has taken to insure that districts within the twenty-one mile radius of London, not at present certified as urban districts under Section 2, Sub-section 3, of the Cheap Trains Act, should, where a railway company provides adequate workmen's service, be regarded as urban for the remission of duty.

MR. LLOYD-GEORGE

Under the Section in question a certificate can be-granted only when the Board of Trade-are satisfied that two or more stations are within an area which has a continuous urban as distinguished from a rural or suburban character, and this provision, could be modified only by legislation. No application from a railway company for the extension of the London urban area is at present before the Board.

MR. CLAUDE HAY

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what stops he is taking to carry out the recommendations of the Select Committee on Workmen's Trains, to prevent overcrowding on workmen's trains.

MR. LLOYD GEORGE

This Question, is covered by my reply to the hon. Member on April 26th.† Any representations made to the Board of Trade in accordance with the Select Committee's recommendation with regard to habitual overcrowding of workmen's trains on any particular line will of course receive careful consideration.

† See (4) Debates, elvi., 27