§ 35. Sir Ralph Glynasked the Minister of Transport what steps have been taken to provide housing accommodation in London for main line railway operating staff requiring to be transferred from the provinces to meet the deficiency of staff in the London area.
§ Mr. BarnesThe responsibility for providing special accommodation, where necessary, for workers transferred by an employer, rests in the first instance on the employer himself. In view, however, of the special position of the railway companies, I have arranged for them to he kept informed of any suitable premises becoming available in those parts of London where their chief needs arise, and I am hopeful of obtaining the release of accommodation for this purpose, and will let the hon. Member know the result.
§ Sir R. GlynIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that under present conditions it is essential to keep suburban lines open, and that at the present moment it is almost impossible to find accommodation for the extra staff?
§ Mr. BarnesYes, Sir; I am very well aware of that. Steps are being taken, as far as possible, to meet that difficulty.
§ Mr. SparksIs not my right hon. Friend aware that the railway companies have land available, owned by their garden village societies, which could be used for temporary and permanent accommodation? Will he make representations to them accordingly?
§ Mr. BarnesIn London?
§ Mr. SparksYes.
§ 64. Mr. Sparksasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the large number of transferred railwaymen at Old Oak Common, Newbury, Westbury, Wiltshire. 781 Didcot, Oxford and Gloucester who are unable to obtain living accommodation and have to sleep in railway coaches; and what steps the G.W.R. are taking, through their garden village societies, to build houses for these men on available land or otherwise to provide proper hostel accommodation.
§ Mr. BarnesI am informed that staff hostels have been provided in Newbury, Didcot, Oxford and Gloucester, and that no railwaymen are sleeping in coaches in those places. At Old Oak Common and Westbury (Wiltshire), where a number of railwaymen are accommodated in suitably adapted coaches, the building of staff hostels is in hand. The railway company is negotiating with a number of local authorities regarding the erection of houses for its employees.
§ Mr. SparksIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Great Western Railway Garden Village Society has land available at Ealing and Hayes which could well be used to provide some temporary accommodation for these men, who have nowhere else to sleep than in railway coaches?
§ Mr. BarnesI observe that this is the second time on which my hon. Friend has referred to this matter. I will look into it, but I could not make any commitment at the moment.
§ Mr. MikardoIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that these transfers are really necessary, and, in particular, is he aware that, today, 18 firemen are being transferred from Reading to points outside the London Division of the G.W.R., in spite of the fact that there is a desperate shortage of firemen in the London Division?
§ Mr. BarnesI know that it is essential to make railway staff as mobile as possible.