HC Deb 29 June 1955 vol 543 cc388-90
27. Mr. Holt

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the total canal mileage in Lancashire; and how much of this the British Transport Commission has recommended to him should be closed down.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

A total of 293 miles, of which 196 miles are under the control of the British Transport Commission. Forty-six and a half miles, including 111 miles controlled by the Commission, are already closed to navigation and the Commission's Bill now before Parliament proposes to close a further 7¼ miles. The Commission has made no recommendation to me for any further closures.

28. Mr. Holt

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will introduce legislation to promote or encourage the setting up of public or private corporations composed of interested parties to take over canals which the British Transport Commission are prepared to offer for purchase.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

No, Sir.

Mr. Holt

If the Transport Commission goes to the Minister with a request to be relieved of several hundreds of miles of uneconomic canals, has he given careful consideration as to how these canals should be looked after by some other body?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

That is, of course, a hypothetical question, but the general question of the possibility of the purchase of such canals as are not required for transport purposes was dealt with by me in a reply which I gave last week to my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro), to which I would refer the hon. Gentleman.

Mr. J. Amery

Before any further canals are closed, particularly in Lancashire—this refers more to the previous Question—could my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he will be prepared to receive representations from angling interests, which are very much concerned about all this?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I am always ready to receive representations from anybody who is interested in anything.

Mr. J. Harrison

Will the Minister recognise that the British Transport Com- mission is not completely and wholly responsible for the position of canals in this country, and that a considerable added expenditure could be placed upon it if it were required to do some of the things that are suggested in this House?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I think the hon. Gentleman will have heard me say in replying to a previous Question that the Transport Commission was necessarily concerned with the transport importance of these canals. In answer to the first part of his supplementary question, he will see from my main answer to this Question that a considerable mileage of canals in Lancashire is not the property of the Commission.