§ 31. Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the piecemeal closure of railway lines and services and the consequent difficulties created in planning industrial development, he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to publish its railway closure plans for the next three years.
§ Mr. HayNo, Sir. We do not think that a useful purpose would be served by such a direction at the present time; but Clause 55 of the Transport Bill would seem to cover what the hon. Member has in mind.
§ Mr. BoydenIf Clause 55 is suitable, why has the hon. Gentleman not done this at once? Has he not read the report of his own central committee which says that this is embarrassing to local planning authorities? It must be just as embarrassing to industrialists in the area.
§ Mr. HayWe have done something. We have put Clause 55 in the Transport Bill and got that Bill through with one sitting less than we thought we should need under the Guillotine.
§ Mr. PopplewellIs the House to understand from the Minister's reply that in future when closures of branch lines are suggested by the Railways Board the Minister himself will give an assurance that he will take the social 454 consequences into consideration before he finally approves such closures?
§ Mr. HayNo, Sir, not necessarily. The transport users' consultative committees take all these matters into consideration. As the hon. Member knows, they report to my right hon. Friend on these matters. He therefore has these matters before him.
§ Mr. PopplewellThe Minister referred to the change which is to take place under Clause 55 of the new Bill, and with that I agree. It would appear that under that Clause the Minister will have considerably more powers than he had previously. Will he not be expected to use those powers which he has not had previously?