§ Mr. HOLTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether hon. Members of this House were required to pay 20s. for the return ticket of each friend taken to the review; whether the ordinary first-class return ticket from Waterloo to Southampton costs 23s. and the week-end first-class return ticket costs 16s. 6d.; whether many hon. Members only received second and 411 third-class accommodation from the railway company; and what steps he proposes to take towards the London and South-Western Railway Company as a consequence of their failure to supply the accommodation for which they were paid?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe return fares from Waterloo to Southampton are as stated in the question. Seventeen special trains were required to convey the 6,500 guests of the Board of Admiralty attending the review; and, in view of this exceptionally heavy demand upon the available rolling stock, the London and South-Western Railway Company could not guarantee the class of carriage, and made a statement to that effect before the contract was concluded. The fact that no such guarantee could be given was stated at the back of all the tickets issued by the railway company.
§ Mr. HOLTArising out of that answer, might I ask my right hon. Friend whether he thinks it right, if the railway company could not guarantee first-class accommodation, they should be paid for it?
§ Mr. McKENNAI can assure my hon. Friend he has my complete sympathy in the matter, but he must understand the Admiralty had no means of conveying their guests to Portsmouth from London except by means of the railway, and we are bound to accept such terms as the railway company exact.
§ Sir EDWIN CORNWALLCan the right hon. Gentleman say how the 6,500 guests of the Admiralty were made up, and why the Members of the House of Commons were taken down with 6,500 other people?
§ Mr. McKENNAThey were made up of representatives from foreign countries and from the Colonial Dominions, and of representatives of the other House of Parliament.
§ Sir EDWIN CORNWALLNot many.
§ Mr. McKENNAYes, the number of foreign guests was extraordinarily large.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYMay I ask whether this is not typical of the treatment of the British public by the British railway companies?
§ Mr. HOLTasked how much per head was paid to the London and South Western Railway Company for the return 412 fare of hon. Members of this House taken from Waterloo to Southampton and back to see the Coronation naval review; and whether that fare was paid in consideration of first-class accommodation on the-trains being given?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe reply to the first part of the question is £l; and to the second part, that first class accommodation was expected, but could not be guaranteed.
§ Mr. HOLTMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will assist us in taking: some legislative steps to compel the railway company, which is making an enormous sum, to treat the public, as represented by the Admiralty and the House of Commons, properly and fairly in a commercial manner?
§ Mr. McKENNAI can assure my hon. Friend nobody would be more glad than I should be, as representing the Admiralty, it we had some means of seeing if what I should regard as more proper terms could be arranged between the Admiralty and the railway company.
§ Mr. ASHLEYDid the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to insist, before-making the bargain, that if first class fare was paid first-class accommodation should be provided?
§ Mr. McKENNAI endeavoured to insist, before making the bargain, that the fare should be materially reduced, but I was unable to succeed.
§ Mr. GEORGE FABERMight I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he could see his way to give free passes to Members of the House of Commons in addition to-the £400 a year?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise here.