§ 18. Mr. V. Yatesasked the Minister of Transport whether he has studied the correspondence sent to him by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood; and if he will give a general direction to the British Railways Board that complaints from Members of Parliament should be dealt with in a proper manner.
§ Mr. HayThis is not an appropriate matter for a direction. I am sure from what my right hon. Friend and I see of the large volume of Parliamentary correspondence with the Board, and from what hon. Members tell us, that the Board generally deals helpfully and sympathetically with the letters it receives.
§ Mr. YatesDoes not the Minister consider that when questions were raised about high prices charged for refreshments on British Railways it was improper for Dr. Beeching inaccurately and offensively to refer to my attitude on nationalisation; and will he not really take steps to see that Members do get detailed and courteous answers and not rude and offensive replies?
§ Mr. HayWith all respect to the hon. Gentleman, I have looked at this correspondence, and I think there is some room for doubt whether both parties concerned were not just a little touchy on the whole subject. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] With respect to the hon. Gentleman, I quite understand his point, and I think now Dr. Beeching is fully seized of the point and I think my right hon. Friend has had a word with the hon. Gentleman about it.
§ Mr. StraussWhatever the general practice may be, however satisfactory it is or not, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in this case there is no no doubt that Dr. Beeching, replying to my hon. Friend, rebuked him in a most offensive way—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—for making a complaint, and that while none of us expects or wants Dr. Beeching personally to investigate administrative complaints which may be put forward, we do expect, in the interests of the relationships between this House and the nationalised industries, that when the chairman of a board replies to a Member he should do so helpfully, and anyhow courteously?
§ Mr. HayI also have examined the correspondence and I am afraid I do not take the same view as the right hon. Gentleman does. [Interruption.] Perhaps the hon. Gentleman has seen it as well. I do not know. Anyhow I have seen it, and I do not take the same view, but we must remember that Dr. Beeching has a very big job to do and, as far as he is concerned, I know 373 from personal conversation with him that he does take with the greatest seriousness his responsibility to tell hon. Members what he can about matters which they raise.
§ Mr. ShinwellMay we have an assurance from the Parliamentary Secretary that Dr. Beeching will be informed by his right hon. Friend that in future, when Members address questions either to Dr. Beeching or any official of the nationalised British Railways, in the replies no reference will be made to their political views, and, indeed, that their political views will be disregarded?
§ Mr. HayI do not think I can give any assurance of that kind at all. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] It depends entirely on the circumstances and on what is actually said in the correspondence.