§ 83. Mr. STEVENSasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that under the existing conditions of railway congestion Government Departments are using the railways for the conveyance of merchandise from warehouses in one part of the country to be stored in warehouses in another part of the country and in some instances to warehouses at congested ports; and, if he disapproves of this being done, what action, if any, he proposes to take to stop the practice?
§ Mr. NEALI am aware that some conveyance of merchandise of the nature indicated is taking place. All Government Departments are co-operating with the Ministry of Transport by restricting their traffic to a minimum; but there are other considerations, such as the 1801 release of valuable commercial storage industrial premises and the transfer of Government stores to the railway, dock and canal authorities for the relief of port storage which must be taken into account when dealing with movements of stores, beside the question of shortage of railway wagons.