HC Deb 23 March 1953 vol 513 cc464-6

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

10. Mr. NABARRO

To ask the Minister of Transport, whether the report of the railway accident at Harrow in October 1952 has yet reached him; when this report will be printed and made available for Parliamentary and public scrutiny; what further progress has now been made in the matter of extending the scope and standardising the equipment for automatic train control and signalling on British Railways with a view to avoidance of further collisions and accidents; how many locomotives have now been fitted with the latest equipment in addition to those former Great Western locomotives which were fully fitted for automatic train control; and whether he will now make a statement on improved safety standards on the British railway system.

Mr. S. Silverman

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Having regard to the fact that included in what is called "Question No. 10" are no fewer than five quite separate and independent Questions, may I ask whether there has been any recent alteration in the rule that prohibits a Member from putting down for oral answer more than three Questions on any one day?

Mr. Nabarro

Further to that point of order. Is not the correct view to be taken of a Question of this sort that it represents Parliamentary enterprise and ingenuity.

Mr. Speaker

The Question is a long one. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will proceed to ask it.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think my answer is even shorter than the Question.

The report on this accident is not yet complete, but I can assure my hon. Friend that it will be published with the minimum of delay. Up to the end of February, 54 locomotives, additional to the former Great Western locomotives, have been fitted with the improved inductive type of automatic train control, and tests are continuing on the track between New Barnet and Huntingdon. I should prefer to postpone making any further statement on railway safety until I have received and studied the report of the Chief Inspecting Officer.

Mr. Nabarro

Can my right hon. Friend be a little more precise and say when this report will be available, in consideration of the fact that the accident occurred six months ago and was one of the most serious accidents in this country since 1915?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The very seriousness of the accident demands the fullest possible investigation. I hope that the report will be ready by about June, but I am making no promises. It will include a comprehensive survey of the position in regard to automatic train control, and this of course takes longer to write.

Mr. D. Jones

Can the Minister make it clear that the experiment going on between New Barnet and Huntingdon is vastly different from the existing automatic train control on the Great Western Railway and is applicable to all parts of British Railways?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

It is to discover whether that is so that the experiment is being conducted.