HC Deb 09 February 1955 vol 536 cc1899-900
57. Mr. K. Thompson

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will arrange to make available to hon. Members maps and diagrams, showing in detail the places at which railway development will take place under the railways reconstruction programme recently announced.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I will see what further information can be given to hon. Members in addition to that already provided, but I am doubtful whether the method proposed by my hon. Friend would be very convenient.

Mr. Thompson

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is often difficult for people who do not know a locality by name or hieroglyphic designation to tell precisely what is happening? Many northern provincial areas feel that they may not be getting a fair share of the resources which are being made available, and a map or diagram would be by far the best way of satisfying their curiosity.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The Transport Commission has already said that it will issue annual forecasts. I will discuss with the Commission whether those forecasts could conveniently incorporate a map.

Sir C. Taylor

Would it not be possible to have a public exhibition of models of both the road and rail schemes to show how imaginative my right hon. Friend has been?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Without prejudice to the agreeable object of that question, there might be difficulties in finding space for the very large number of models.