HC Deb 23 June 1952 vol 502 cc1836-7
41. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Transport to whom the proceeds of the sale of the road haulage undertakings will be credited.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The property belongs to the British Transport Commission, to whom the proceeds of the sale will therefore accrue.

Mr. Beswick

In the light of that answer, will the right hon. Gentleman confirm the statement that has appeared in the Press that the Transport Commission will be able to bid for road haulage vehicles to be put up for sale? Will he give an undertaking that there will be no restriction placed on the number or type of vehicles for which they can bid?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I must ask the hon. Member to await the forthcoming debate.

Mr. Hale

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in 44 minutes we have reached the forty-first of Questions to his Department, a number of which have not been asked, and will he suggest to the people who draft his replies that if they avoided expressions like "detailed examination," "careful consideration" and "exploring every avenue," and cut out verbosity and pomposity, we should make better progress?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

That is an exceedingly ungenerous comment. If these important issues are put too briefly they are difficult for most hon. Members to understand. Perhaps today I have gone to the other extreme, although, I think, to general satisfaction.

Mr. Speaker

Hon. Members should bear in mind that they have some responsibility for the protraction of our proceedings.