HC Deb 06 December 1972 vol 847 cc1281-3
7. Mr. Walter Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has now received from British Rail about the future size of the railway network; and if he will make a statement.

The Minister for Transport Industries (Mr. John Peyton)

I have nothing to add to my reply given to the hon. Member on 8th November.—[Vol. 845, c. 999.]

Mr. Johnson

Does not the Minister realise that the House is waiting with bated breath for the next exciting episode on who pinched the report from the Department and give it to the Sunday Times? Will the Minister give an undertaking that any British Rail report that includes an increase in the size of the railway network will be fully considered by him without bias in any shape or form?

Mr. Peyton

Yes, of course; I gladly give the undertaking asked for by the hon. Gentleman. Any report for which I have asked from British Rail will certainly be considered without bias. If I may say so, I enjoy the spectacle of the hon. Gentleman's waiting for anything with bated breath.

Mr. Gardner

When my right hon. Friend considers the possibility of having to reduce railway traffic if it becomes necessary, will he please bear in mind the growing perils to those who have to use main roads like the M1 and M6—

Mr. Arthur Lewis

And Whitehall!

Mr. Gardner

—and that these perils are likely to increase if the railway service is diminished without the most careful thought?

Mr. Peyton

I have no desire to reduce the volume of rail traffic.

Mr. Mulley

Does the Minister realise that the leakage of the terms of the report has led to widespread concern about the future of many railway services and about the manner in which the leak is being investigated? Will he make a positive statement to allay the widespread concern and to indicate that Government thinking is that the vialibilty of the railways should be sustained by further Government support rather than by a reduction of services, which is a suggestion that is being canvassed?

Mr. Peyton

As the right hon. Gentleman realises, the Government have given considerable and generous support to the railways. We have at some length gone into the matter of the document which got out. I can only repeat that in a comprehensive examination of the railway system it is not unwise for all kinds of alternatives to be thoroughly examined. The fact that one got out does not in any way justify some of the conclusions that were drawn from it by many people who, I suspect, wish to stir up anxieties.

21. Mr. Gwynoro Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many railway lines there are in Wales that are grant-aided under the Transport Act where the grant terminates on 31st December, 1972.

Mr. Peyton

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1st December—[Vol. 847. c. 261–2.]

Mr. Jones

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that there is a great deal of concern in Wales for the future of these 16 railway lines? Would he not further agree that there is need for an early and clear statement that these lines will be retained, particularly since, when his party was last in Government, it closed 800 miles of railway line in the Principality.

Mr. Peyton

Repeated statements that lines will be kept open would probably not be necessary except, perhaps, for the sort of questions that the hon. Gentleman persists in asking. Since he challenges me on the question of closures, I must remind him that whereas, rightly or wrongly, the Administration that he supported closed 2,300 miles of railway lines in six years, since this Government have been in office 200 mile have been closed.