HC Deb 07 March 1973 vol 852 cc384-5
5. Mr. R. C. Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a White Paper on his longterm transport policy.

Mr. Peyton

Not yet, Sir.

Mr. Mitchell

Is the Minister aware that decisions relating to new road building are being made inside his Department and that decisions relating to railway development and closures are being made by British Rail? There often appears to be no co-ordination between the two. Does not the Minister think that it is time we had a long-term co-ordinated transport policy over the next few years?

Mr. Peyton

There is a co-ordinated transport policy. I do not believe that a White Paper is necessary to achieve it.

Sir G. Nabarro

With or without a White Paper, can my right hon. Friend give the House an assurance that from every aspect, economic and otherwise, he will give proper regard to the overwhelming claim of the railways to have a real expansion programme and not a further whittling down on the Beeching model?

Mr. Peyton

The whole question of the future rôle of the railways is now being examined very carefully by the railways themselves, in consultation with my Department.

Mr. Bradley

Given the present state of confusion and uncertainty, does not the Minister realise that even a short-term statement on future policy would be welcome? Does not he recall his undertaking to me last July to consider publishing a White Paper on railway finances? Is not he aware that the present policy of piecemeal financial solution is wholly unsatisfactory and unsettling for the industry?

Mr. Peyton

I am conscious of the need to produce, as soon as possible, a statement on the future role for the railways. That is what I intend to do. But as I have said to the hon. Gentleman before, I do not want to produce a lot of half-baked temporary answers. The present position of merely helping the railways on an ad hoc basis is not satisfactory. It must be brought to an end as soon as possible, but I do not want to be hurried. As for the hon. Gentleman's reference to the present confusions. I am not sure what he means, but I am not the cause of them.

Mr. Leslie Huckfield

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that a simple statement from him such as "I believe in railways" would be a start? What estimate has his Department made of the amount of traffic suitable for a realistic and practicable transfer from road to rail?

Mr. Peyton

As I have said before, this matter is now being subjected to an extensive examination. In answer to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question, I am only too happy to oblige him. I do believe in railways—but not tomorrow.