§ 110. Mr. ALFRED SHORTasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the well-equipped factories of the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon, and Finance Company and other factories adapted for the production of railway wagons are partially idle, with the result that many of the employés are working short time and many skilled men are wholly unemployed; whether, in view of the urgent need of railway wagons, lie will take immediate steps to place orders with these factories; and whether he is prepared to receive a deputation from the workmen concerned order to discuss the situation?
§ Mr. NEALI must refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on the 10th. As he then stated, the question of placing orders with private builders must depend largely on their willingness to quote reasonable prices for early delivery, and I have put the Metropolitan Carriage Company into communication with several railway companies with a view to negotiating the placing of orders. If they desire it, I should be prepared to see a deputation from the workmen.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWill the hon. Gentleman say whether private companies have quoted unreasonable prices for those wagons?
§ Mr. NEALThe Minister is in negotiation with a view to that question being fully investigated by an independent accountant to be agreed upon.
§ Mr. LAMBERTConsidering the urgency of the question, will that inquiry take place at once?
§ Mr. HOUSTONIn view of the great congestion and disorganisation throughout the country, is not an immediate supply of wagons more important than the price?
§ Mr. NEALAn immediate supply of wagons is of great importance, but I am sure my hon. Friend will not deny the vary great importance also of securing that there is no undue tax upon the public purse.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWould it not have been desirable that investigations should have been made by the Minister before making the allegations which were made to the meeting last week?
§ Mr. HURDIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the wagon builders have offered to do this work at 5 per cent. profit?
§ 111. Mr. J. DAVISONasked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the number of railway wagons on order; whether he is aware that many factories well adapted for the production of wagons are short of work; and whether he will place further orders and thus provide employment for many skilled workmen at present out of work and at the same time help to meet the transport needs of the country?
§ Mr. NEALThe number of wagons on order was given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport in his recent statement. It is 22,000. In reply to the last part of the question, I must refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Wednesbury to-day.
§ Mr. DAVISONHow many wagons are required by the Government and by the country generally?
§ 112. Mr. HURDasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether, in view of the wagon shortage, he will suggest to goods managers at stations in agricultural districts that they should keep a list of farmers who intimate that they have wagon loads waiting for transit, so that when trucks are available postcards may be sent to these farmers in order of priority, and thus avoid the waste 642 of time and money involved in sending in their loads to the station only to find no trucks available?
§ Mr. NEALI am informed that the procedure suggested by the hon. Member is that which is being followed as far as is practicable. The hon. Member has been good enough to supply me with information on a specific case and I am causing inquiries to be made.