HC Deb 26 May 1954 vol 528 cc383-5
27. Mr. Slater

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he proposes to receive the deputation of Labour Members of Parliament to discuss further the road schemes in the North-East.

28. Mr. R. J. Taylor

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has completed his re-examination of the proposed road schemes in Northumberland.

29. Mr. D. Jones

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet replied to the letter of 6th May from the hon. Member for Sunderland, North asking him to receive a deputation of Northern Members of Parliament.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I have re-examined these schemes, but I hope that the hon. Members interested will agree that any further meeting with them should wait for a visit which I propose to pay to the North-East in a few weeks' time. I have replied to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. F. Willey) suggesting this.

Mr. Slater

We were very grateful to the Minister for receiving the deputation, but is he aware that we understood that one of his chief officers was to pay a visit to the North-East and report back to the Minister, and that then we should have a further deputation before the Easter Recess? That has not taken place. Can the Minister state how it is that hon. Members from the North-East on this side of the House have to wait until they see it published in the Press to know that he is to visit the North-East, while hon. Members opposite who represent constituencies in the North-East have prior information about his visit? Why the discrimination?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

There is no discrimination in this matter at all. I do not think that it would be possible to find a more senior officer from my Department to visit the North-East than the Minister himself.

Mr. P. Williams

Is the Minister aware that, in spite of political differences between hon. Members on this side of the House and hon. Members opposite, we welcome his visit? Will he give an assurance that when he does come to the North-East he will see representatives of the county councils, county borough councils and city councils concerned?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

My visit is in the hands of the local authorities, but I shall do all I can in the limited time available.

Mr. Taylor

Will Morpeth be one of the places which the right hon. Gentleman will visit, or will he restrict his visit to places south of the Tyne? If the right hon. Gentleman does come to Morpeth, will the right hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. R. J. Taylor) have an opportunity to accompany him?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I will do all I can on 18th June within the limited time available.

Mr. Shinwell

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that we from the North-East are doing him a great honour by asking him to come?

Mr. H. Nicholls

Would it help the Minister if hon. Members representing constituencies in the North-East of England developed their arguments during the debate on the Motion to be discussed on Friday next?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Yes, Sir, I think it would.

Mr. F. Willey

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that this is the second occasion on which this group of hon. Members have written to him and that he had not the courtesy to reply until a Question was put down on the Order Paper?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

That is not true. In addition to replying to the letter, I actually received a deputation of Labour Members and Conservative Members. The difficulty of not being able to receive them together added to my problems. I was not able to have them both together for reasons over which I have no control. I saw them separately, I have written to them, and I am now proposing to visit the North-East in a fortnight's time.

Mr. Willey

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the question, which was why he had not replied to either request until the matter had been put down on the Order Paper? I have his letter here.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I do not think I can add to this except to say that I received a deputation and I am proposing to pay a visit. If I did the same in all other parts of the United Kingdom, I should be doing nothing else.

Mr. Taylor

May I ask the Minister how he can give judgment in the case of the Northumberland roads unless he has been to Northumberland?

Mr. Slater

Can the Minister state what part of the North-East he intends to visit? Do we understand that he proposes to visit just Tyneside? What about other parts of the area?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I shall arrange this through the proper local authorities.