§ 33. Sir EDWARD CARSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is willing to publish a summary of accounts showing how the deficit of £100,000,000 in the revenue of the railway companies is arrived at?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe sum mentioned is the deficit as far as can be roughly estimated for the current year. It is based on the war wage of 33s. a week, the increased cost of working due to the introduction of the eight-hour day, the increased cost of materials compared with 1913, and the increased cost due to the recent arrangements with railway unions.
1363 As a set-off there may be Government traffic in excess of that of 1913, but it is impossible to give exact figures.
As regards the working of the railways during the War, an endeavour is being made to prepare a statement, and this will be pressed forward.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI cannot answer that question without notice.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLIs this estimated loss without taking into consideration any increase in the rates for traffic and fares?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI shall have to see that in writing.
36. Sir F. HALLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in arriving at an estimated loss of £100,000,000 a year for working the railways under State control, the accounts of the various companies had been credited with the cost of carrying troops, stores, and other articles on precisely the same terms as would be charged to other passengers and merchants; if not, what is the difference in the rates and charges; and what would it have amounted to during the years 1917 and 1918, separately?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe sum mentioned is the estimated loss on the working for the current year.
The charges, if made, for carrying troops and naval and military stores are not those charged to the general public, but are based on the provisions of the Cheap Trains Act, 1883.
No estimate has been formed of the cost in 1917 and 1918 of carrying Government traffic at the rates and fares chargeable to the general public.
Sir F. HALLIf no estimate was taken into consideration with regard to the traffic on the railways, how is the Government in a position to say there is going to be a loss of £90,000,000 to £100,000,000 during the coming year?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI said before that the estimate was a very rough one, but it is not correct to say no account was made in 1917–18. It was made on the basis of what the Government would have to pay under the Cheap Trains Act of 1883 and not on some supposed basis.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSOn the basis of the accounts that were taken was there any deficit at all in 1917–18?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI cannot answer that question.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLWill my hon. Friend lay this rough estimate on the Table?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe rough estimate is what I have already stated.
Sir F. HALLIf I put down another question, say, next week, will my hon. Friend be able to give me further information whether the Department will be able to go into the matter and give me a reply?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am very reluctant to promise that. The Department is very heavily overworked, and I cannot undertake to put upon it the extra duty of making estimates, which at best can only be rather rough, of past years. I will ask if they can produce them. I cannot get the further figures. I cannot promise to go very deeply into the case if it would involve very serious extra labour.