HC Deb 10 June 1959 vol 606 cc972-3
39. Mr. Lipton

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made in staggering hours of work in Central London.

Mr. Nugent

The London Travel Committee has set up a special working group to promote the wider adoption of staggered hours. The group has continued the valuable work of the "Crush Hour" Committee and is at present completing a survey of starting and finishing times of some 500,000 workers in Central London to show where staggering may be most needed and most likely to be fruitful.

Mr. Lipton

Would not the Joint Parliamentary-Secretary agree that we have far too many committees which are not achieving very much? Has the Minister tried in recent weeks to cross Central London during the rush hour? Will he accept my suggestion that all this talk about the alleged staggering of hours has not made a ha'porth of difference?

Mr. Nugent

It has made some difference, but it is a difficult matter to alter the pattern of life of a large number of people. I am sure that the suggestion that we should legislate to deal with the matter, which the hon. Gentleman has made before, is wrong. We must get co-operation, and I hope that we shall get it in this way.