§ 11. Sir Austin Hudsonasked the Minister of Transport if he will give an assurance that the first periodical independent inquiry into the operation of the British Transport Commission will include an inquiry into the activities of the Hotels Executive.
§ Mr. BarnesAs my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council indicated in the debate on socialised industries on 25th October, 1950, any such examination would be on a broad basis. In the case of the British Transport Commission I should expect it to cover all their Executives.
§ Sir A. HudsonDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it will have been possible to wind up this Executive by then? It has very little to do.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftAre we to understand that the Government contemplate inquiring into the Hotels Executive? If so, when?
§ Mr. BarnesI am rather surprised that the hon. Member is not aware of the statement which the Lord President of the Council made.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI am aware of it.
§ Mr. BarnesIf the hon. Member is aware of it, I do not see the point of his supplementary.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThen I will put the point to the right hon. Gentleman. When will the inquiry take place?
§ Mr. BarnesIf I recollect aright, the general indication given by the Lord President of the Council was "periodically"; at some period of approximately seven years.