63. Mr. KENNEDY JONESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has as yet made any estimate as to the amount of new rolling stock requisite properly to fit out the railways of the country; whether the ordering of new rolling stock is being left to the individual railway companies; or whether any new official policy of standardisation is being introduced?
§ Sir A. GEDDESThe points raised by the hon. Gentleman are not being overlooked, but I am not in a position at present to give him specific information, except that the ordering of new rolling stock is still left to the railway companies.
Mr. JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the fact that there has 1590 been no declared policy in relation to this matter by the Government is preventing the railway companies from entering upon re-equipping the railways and is responsible for the congestion of traffic which exists to-day?
§ Sir A. GEDDESNo, I am not aware of that.
§ Sir E. CARSONAre railway companies ordering new rolling stock?
§ Sir A. GEDDESThere is a great deal of rolling stock at present on order and being manufactured.
Mr. JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Metropolitan Railway manager, in a Committee-room, on Monday last, stated that they were not ordering new rolling stock and were not going to until the Government declared its policy as to railways?
§ Sir A. GEDDESI am aware he stated that. I received, a day beforehand, a request for a statement of policy which was obviously quite impossible.