Modernisation (Hansard, 12 November 1958)

§ 5. Mr. Nabarro
asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent the limitations placed by Her Majesty's Government upon the capital investment programme of the railways a year ago have now been relieved in order further to accelerate the modernisation programme.

§ Mr. Watkinson
The limitations were relieved when an extra £25 million was made available in May to accelerate modernisation in 1958 and 1959. Consideration is being given to the possibility of a further acceleration in 1959.

§ Mr. Nabarro
Can my right hon. Friend assure the House that he has now allocated to the British Transport Commission all those capital sums for which Sir Brian Robertson has asked, that the total sum of money available for this year and next year under the modernisation programme will allow the maximum speed in that programme, that nothing is being withheld and that the Commission is not being in any way inhibited by my right hon. Friend?

§ Mr. Watkinson
That is certainly true of the current year. The Commission has had everything that it asked for. As for 1959, although at the moment the Commission has certainly had all that it has asked for, as I am anxious that modernisation should be pressed forward as fast as possible we are looking at the matter again, in order to make sure that the Commission has all the money that it can possibly use.

§ Mr. Ernest Davies
Does the Minister mean by the statement that the Commission has had all it asked for that there was no cut in the capital of the modernisation programme last year, when a ceiling was put on the expenditure which the Commission was allowed to spend? In stating that there is a possibility of increasing the sum now, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer said the other day that there would be increased expenditure on roads, railways and other public industries?

§ Mr. Watkinson
The sequence of events covers all those facts. There was originally a cut, although it was largely a cut in the notional future programme. Then there was an increase which gave the Commission all it could use this current year, as the Chairman has said. For 1959, as I have said myself, we are reexamining the programme to see if there is any more money that can usefully be used, if the finance is made available.