§ 29. Sir Robert Rankinasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether, in view of the fact that lost property on the railways now amounts to 700,000 items a year and the work involved means a loss to them of at least 175,000 man hours, he will consider the advisability of instructing the railways to display appropriate warnings to the travelling public?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Mr. Noel-Baker)The railways already do a good deal to carry out my hon. Friend's proposal by putting advertisements in the Press, and by displaying posters at railway stations. Further advertisements and posters for the purpose are now being prepared. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing attention to the waste of skilled man-power that is involved, and 1143 to the extra strain that is thus needlessly imposed on the overburdened railway staff.