§ 2. Major Wallasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the approximate amount of public money spent on the railways, the roads and the canals, respectively, of the United Kingdom from 1900 to 1914, from 1919 to 1939 and from 1946 to date.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe expenditure out of central Government funds on railways and canals has been confined to assistance schemes and is negligible in amount. No expenditure on roads was made directly out of central funds prior to 1910. Since that date the expenditure from that source has been—prior to 1914, £1.3 million; 1919–39, £298 million; 1946–55, £251 million.
§ Major WallDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the comparative figures for expenditure upon roads and canals show that the canals have been neglected for very many years; further, would not he agree that if the neglect of these past years is made good these canals will fulfil a vital and important part in the economic life of the nation?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI would not agree that figures, which I have not given, in fact, for canals, gave my hon. and gallant Friend that impression; but, of course, it is the fact that at the moment considerable expenditure is contemplated on a certain limited part of our canal system which is believed to be of real commercial value.
§ Mr. EdeIs there any hope that canals other than those put in the first class by the recent Board of Survey may receive the attention and favourable consideration of the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterYes, indeed. It is essential that we should work out plans and procedures for dealing with all the different categories of canals which do cause a very complex and difficult problem.
§ Mr. HirstDoes not my right hon. Friend feel that a successful solution of the canal problem can hardly be found until canals are divorced from the British Transport Commission?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI would not accept that, not least because the British Transport Commission is in fact going forward with schemes for the improvement of some 300 miles of its system, and I should have thought that it would be a pity to interfere with the considerable amount of work which it is going to undertake on them.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesCan the Minister say when he will be able to make a statement to the House on Government policy about canals? Will he refrain from appointing a further committee but enable the policy to be formulated now and acted upon, instead of delaying, as rumour has it he intends to?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe hon. Gentleman will not expect me to comment on rumours.