HC Deb 28 June 1920 vol 131 cc13-4
20. Major BARNES

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the agreement between the President of the Board of Trade and the Underground Railway Companies made in 1915; and if he will circulate amongst Members copies of all agreements with the railways made during the War which were disadvantageous and would not have been made if the Government of the day had had the advantage of the advice of a railway expert?

21. Major MACKENZIE WOOD

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the terms upon which the agreement entered into in 1915 between the President of the Board of Trade and the Metropolitan District Railway Company was cancelled; whether these terms were embodied in a new agreement; and, if so, will he lay both agreements upon the Table?

Sir E. GEDDES

I must refer the hon. Members to my answers to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Dulwich on 3rd May and 14th June. The general agreements with the railway companies have already been printed in Command Paper 654. I am sending copies of the answers to my hon. Friend.

Major BARNES

Are we to understand that all these agreements have been circulated in the Command Paper?

Sir E. GEDDES

I have not referred to the disadvantageous agreements, but, as far as they are ascertainable, to the general agreements between the railways and the Government. If my hon. Friend will look at the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) he will find the particular agreement dealt with.

Mr. PALMER

Would the disadvantageous agreements include the one made between the right hon. Gentleman and the North Eastern Railway Company, by which he got £50,000? Would he regard that as one of the disadvantageous agreements which should be gone into and revised, if possible?

Sir E. GEDDES

I hardly think that arises out of the question. There is no agreement between the Government and the railway company on that subject.

Mr. PALMER

No, but was there not an agreement under which the taxpayer finds the money?

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member should give notice of that question.

Mr. HOGGE

Is question No. 21 covered by the right hon. Gentleman's answer?

Sir E. GEDDES

I did answer it. I answered Nos. 20 and 21 together.

Mr. HOGGE

Does not Question No. 21 ask for the terms under which the agreement with the Metropolitan District Railway Company was cancelled? The right hon. Gentleman has not answered that.

Sir E. GEDDES

That is not a formal agreement. It is an undertaking given by the Chairman of the London Electric Railways, and is confirmed by a Clause in my Report to the Private Bill Committee which dealt with the Bill.