§ 55. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Minister of Transport when the rolling stock and motors of the Inner Circle trains on the old Metropolitan Railway were last inspected by officers of his Department; and what was the nature of the reports received?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of TRANSPORT (Lieut.-Colonel Headlam)My hon. Friend has no specific power or duty to order inspection of railway companies' rolling stock, but railway undertakings 27 are required, in submitting their annual accounts to him, to include a certificate signed by their chief mechanical engineer to the effect that their rolling stock has been maintained in good working condition and repair. The accounts of the Metropolitan Railway for 1932 included such a certificate.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs not the rolling stock of the Circle trains on the Metropolitan Railway very old, out of date and dirty, and will the hon. and gallant Gentleman make representations to the board that it is desirable that these trains should at least be of equal standard to the very excellent trains of the District Railway?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI travel very often on this railway, and I have not noticed what my hon. Friend complains of.
§ Mr. HICKSDoes the Ministry of Transport associate the assumed dilapidated state of the rolling stock with the unremitted payments from the Lena Goldfields.