43. Sir N. G RATTAN-DOYLEasked the Minister of Transport whether any decision has yet been reached in regard to the committee on main-line railway electrification?
§ 39 and 41. Sir PHILIP DAWSONasked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will state what steps he intends to take in respect of the electrification of the railways, having regard to the view taken by the Weir Report as to the amount of work which would be provided by it and the beneficial effect it would have on the distribution and the cost of electricity throughout the country;
(2) whether he will take steps to induce the railway companies immediately to take in hand the electrification of the suburban services round our great cities and more especially round London, seeing that the Royal Commission on Transport in 1905 recommended that course and having regard to the success of the Southern Railway?
§ Mr. PARKINSONAs my right hon. Friend has already stated, he has asked the principal railway companies to consider the report to which the hon. Members refer, and to furnish him with their observations upon it as soon as they can. It will be remembered that the commercial success likely to result in certain circumstances from carrying out schemes of suburban electrification is one of the matters to which the report refers.
Sir N. G RATTAN-DOYLEIn view of the very great importance of this question, will the hon. Member endeavour to have the matter expedited?
§ Mr. PARKINSONI can only say that urgent representations have been made to the railway companies to take the matter into consideration.
§ Mr. BROCKWAYWill the hon. Gentleman submit to the Minister of Transport that, if State assistance is to be given for the electrification of the railway service, it should be nationalised?