72. Sir F. HALLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether his attention has been called to the decision of the railway companies that no reduction in fares is possible while wages remain on their present uneconomical basis; and if he will arrange for a memorandum to be prepared and laid upon the Table showing what were the rates of wages of the principal classes of railway employés at the time the last increase in fares was made, and what are the present rates?
§ Mr. NEALI am not aware of any such decision on the part of the railway companies, and would remind the hon. and gallant Member that the Railways Act, 1021, in Sections 60 and 78, provides adequate machinery for appeal to the Rates Tribunal. I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour in regard to the latter part of the question.