§ 34. Mr. A. Robertsasked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to provide cheaper meals on main line passenger trains.
§ Mr. MarplesNo, Sir.
§ Mr. RobertsIs the Minister aware that the present policy of providing meals on main line trains is one of diminishing returns? Is not the Minister giving any consideration to families travelling from one town to another? Should they not be able to purchase something other than a set lunch or dinner costing them about 15s. each?
§ Mr. MarplesIn the buffet cars that is not so. They can purchase snacks and all sorts of things. The only reduction which has been made affected the restaurant car service, which last year lost £¼ million.
§ Mr. RobertsIs not the Minister aware that there are no buffet cars on the Leeds to King's Cross route? Will he consider the 'provision of automatic machines on trains? Does he appreciate that if he is prepared to organise this service properly it will not incur a loss but will make a profit?
§ Mr. MarplesThat may be so, but this is a question for the British Transport Commission and, later, the British Railways Board as a matter of day-to-day judgment, and not a matter for me as the Minister.
§ Mr. Hector HughesWill the right hon. Gentleman give directions for cheap nourishing, succulent food to be made available—[AN HON. MEMBER: A red herring?]—No. A straightforward herring —without calling in aid expensive foods such as those which are obtainable only on the trains and without calling in aid any other kind of red herring?
§ Mr. MarplesI will call the attention of the British Transport Commission to the hon. and learned Member's supplementary question, but I would point out that a lot depends on the age of the fish.