§ 4. Mr. Peter Walkerasked the Minister of Transport what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the expansion of British Road Services through the acquisition of private road hauliers by the Transport Holding Company.
§ Mrs. CastleThe acquisition of suitable private road haulage concerns by the Transport Holding Company is a valuable contribution to my policy of building up an expanding freight service under public ownership, and has my full encouragement.
§ Mr. WalkerDoes the Minister consider that the imposition of additional fuel tax, the increase of commercial vehicle licences, the doing away with the investment allowances and the six-month interest-free loan under the S.E.T. will reduce the price that the Transport Holding Company will have to pay for these acquisitions?
§ Mrs. CastleI hope that it will enable the acquisitions to continue on an ever-widening scale. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]
§ Mr. OrbachIs my right hon. Friend aware of the warmth with which all hon. Members on this side of the House welcome her clear and firm intention to go ahead with seeing that road haulage plays its part in the full public interest and that the private interests which have been flouting the national interest are in some way denigrated?
§ Mr. KershawWould not the right hon. Lady's intention be more honestly achieved if she nationalised outright instead of by the back door, like this?
§ Mrs. CastleI thought that the hon. Member believed in competition, but apparently he wants a protected market for the private haulier, and he is not going to get it.