HC Deb 19 April 1967 vol 745 cc584-5
31. Mr. Ronald Atkins

asked the Minister of Transport when she will be in a position to announce the reconstitution of the transport users' consultative committees.

Mr. John Morris

As my right hon. Friend informed the House on 22nd February, she will be consulting a wider cross-section of organisations in appointing these committees in future. The committee for East Anglia is the first to have been dealt with under the revised procedure.—[Vol. 741, c. 1732.]

Mr. Atkins

While thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask him to be especially aware of the inhibitions which have tongue-tied many objectors at T.U.C.C. meetings and ensure that these inhibitions are removed so that such things as railway financial figures may be discussed?

Mr. Morris

There have been two matters of complaint in the past. One is that these committees should be sufficiently representative, and this was one of the aims of my right hon. Friend in broadening the representation on the T.U.C.C.s. The second was that there should be better representation on these bodies of the man in the street. As regards the functions of the T.U.C.C.s, my right hon. Friend is now considering this matter in connection with proposals in the new Bill which she will bring before the House in the autumn.