HC Deb 10 June 1964 vol 696 cc437-9
20 and 21. Mr. W. Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he will arrange for the Royal Engineers to build a bridge across the River Ouse at Selby, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, as part of their practical training;

(2) whether he will arrange for the Royal Engineers to build a bridge across the River Ure in Yorkshire for the use of the Royal Air Force personnel at Linton-on-Ouse, in view of the fact that such personnel must at the present time use the toll bridge at Aldwark.

Mr. Ramsden

No, Sir.

Mr. Hamilton

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain why he condones the building of a bridge by Royal Engineers on a private estate, and yet he refuses to allow them to cut into monopolies which are getting tens of thousands of pounds tax-free income from the toll bridges in the areas that I have mentioned?

Mr. Ramsden

The hon. Gentleman has got it wrong. The bridge on the private estate, about which I gave the House a satisfactory answer the other day, was not built by the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers welcome opportunities to carry out civil engineering projects when these provide good training, but this project is not suitable.

On the general question, the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends tried to persuade the House the other day of the desirability of the principle of nationalisation without compensation. My hon. Friends successfully resisted this, and we shall continue to resist it with success.

Sir L. Ropner

Will my right hon. Friend give me an assurance that he will make certain that his reply this afternoon is brought to the attention of the Minister of Transport, and will he point out at the same time that he himself is not able to solve the problem, and indeed the scandal, of Selby Toll Bridge?

Mr. Ramsden

My hon. and gallant Friend is right as regards the Selby Bridge. Even if this were considered desirable training for the Royal Engineers, a bridge of that kind with a swinging span would be beyond their resources in a training exercise.

Mr. Hamilton

If the Minister refuses to consider the building of a bridge at Selby, will he consider the other one? Is he not aware that the R.A.F. personnel at Linton-on-Ouse are spending shillings per week out of their inadequate wages in tolls which are tax-free to the owners?

Mr. Ramsden

The position of the R.A.F. personnel who use this bridge—one end of which is in my constituency—is that if they are on duty, under the Act they are exempt from the tolls. When they are not on duty, they are in the same position as other civilians using the bridge. I am not sure that some of the tolls paid in the past need have been paid, and this is being examined by my right hon. Friend.

34. Mr. Jeger

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will arrange for the Royal Engineers to exercise their practical training by building a bridge at Thorne, near Doncaster, to assist the traffic which at present uses a one-way swing bridge.

Mr. Ramsden

No. Sir.

Mr. Jeger

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain why this bridge could not be built as a practical exercise? Is he aware that there is room for it and need for it and that the men who built it would be extremely popular in the neighbourhood? Is he aware that it might assist his recruiting drive?

Mr. Ramsden

Because of the planned operational commitments of the Sappers, it would not be possible for any of their units to take on a major construction project of this kind at the present time. It would be quite a major project, I understand, because the bridge would have to be above the level of barge traffic and therefore would require a high span.