HC Deb 12 February 1929 vol 225 cc203-4
35. Mr. JAMES BROWN

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in presenting the Supplementary Estimate for railway freight rebates, it was the intention of the Government that the benefit of reduced freights on timber should go to the coal industry or to the timber trade?

The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a question asked on 12th December last by the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Sir W. Preston), of which I am sending him a copy.

Mr. BROWN

It is just the ambiguous nature of that reply that prompted me to put down the question. It is a plain "Yes," or "No." I want to ask which of the parties gets the benefit.

Colonel ASHLEY

My answer was perfectly plain then and is perfectly plain now—the people who pay the freights.

Mr. SHINWELL

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that there is a dispute at present between certain sections of the timber trade and the coal masters in connection with the matter?

Colonel ASHLEY

But surely there can be no dispute as to who is paying the freights to the railway companies.

Mr. BROWN

There is a dispute as to who is to get the rebate, and that is why I have put the question. If the right hon. and gallant Gentleman will give an authoritative answer, that will settle it.

Colonel ASHLEY

I can only repeat that the people who pay the freights get the reduction.