HC Deb 03 February 1954 vol 523 cc345-8
14. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet consulted the Transport Tribunal concerning the application made by the British Transport Commission for a 10 per cent. increase in freight charges; and whether, before coming to a decision, he will consult representatives of the Scottish fishing industry, whose communities in the North and North-East of Scotland will be imperilled by any further burden of transport charges.

21. Mr. Ernest Davies

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has received the report from the permanent members of the Transport Tribunal on the application by the British Transport Commission for an increase in freight charges; and what action he proposes to take on it.

49. Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, before he approves the proposed increase in freight charges, he will bear in mind that an overall increase would bear especially heavily on the North of Scotland and further increase the economic difficulties of that area; and whether he will therefore withhold his approval to any increase affecting the North of Scotland.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I have received the advice of the permanent members of the Transport Tribunal, acting as a consulta- tive committee, I am now considering that advice, together with the representations made to me, which include representations from a number of Scottish bodies. I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

Mr. Hughes

Does the Minister realise that this increase, if made, will ruin the whole fishing community who are useful to this country in both peace and war, and will he throw his influence against any such increase that will have such disastrous results?

Mr. Davies

Does the Minister realise that this application is due to the policy which the Government have followed, that the economies and efficiency which were resulting from the 1947 Act have been destroyed by the action of the Minister and, as a consequence, this application has been made? Does he further realise that there is a limit to the extent to which charges and fares can be put up and at the same time retain the traffic, and that if he pursues this policy he will inevitably be driven to introduce a subsidy scheme for the railways?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

If the hon. Gentleman really believes that the application made by the Commission to govern increases in the price of coal, steel and other commodities is due to the policy of the Government, he will believe anything. I am actually following scrupulously the procedure laid down in the Socialist Act of 1947.

Mr. Davies

Does not the Minister appreciate that £8 million was earned last year by British Road Services, which this year is being broken up, and that therefore that very large proportion of income will not be earned this year by the Transport Commission. If that money were earned at this time, it would not be necessary to apply for an increase to this extent.

Mr. Hughes

I am afraid the Minister, in answering the second supplementary, has overlooked my supplementary, which I hope he will now answer.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I apologise to the hon. and learned Gentleman. I am aware of the particularly severe consequences in remote districts of the United Kingdom, not least in Scotland, of any increase in transport charges. I have had the representations to which I have referred in my answer and to which I will pay regard. I am also aware of the difficulties confronting the British Transport Commission and the need to help them in their very great difficulties.