§ Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Transport if it is the practice of the railway companies to grant all their employés free railway travel from their homes to their work; whether this point was considered or dealt with in the recent 494 settlement with the railway men and if free travel is continued under the agreement; and can he state if this practice applies to the London Tube and Underground railway systems?
§ Mr. NEALIt is not the general practice to grant railway employés free railway travel from their homes to their work, but some railway companies do issue free tickets within limited areas on their own systems, and all companies issue tickets at reduced rates. The prevailing conditions have not been altered under the recent settlement, but the value of these concessions was not overlooked. So far as the London Tube and Underground systems are concerned, it is understood that their staffs generally are granted free tickets to enable them to travel to and from their work.
§ Mr. GILBERTCan the hon. Gentleman say whether the relatives of railway employés are also given cheap tickets?