§ Q2. Dr. Marshallasked the Prime Minister on how many occasions during 1973 he travelled to official functions by British Rail.
§ The Prime MinisterOnce, Sir.
§ Dr. MarshallOn Saturday 25th November 1973, when petrol supplies were at their most critical stage, why did the Prime Minister choose to travel by road rather than by rail to Bristol and back in order to attend a concert rehearsal? Is it not in the national interest that the Prime Minister should swallow his sense of dignity and travel more often by British Rail?
§ The Prime MinisterI travelled on that journey by car first because I was going from Chequers and secondly because of certain circumstances which apply to all Prime Ministers in respect of communications and security whereby normally they travel by car or by air.
§ Mr. Leslie HuckfieldDoes not the Prime Minister accept that the talks with the railway unions which are taking place at present are only informal? Will he accept that one of the serious difficulties in this dispute has been the refusal of the British Railways Board to talk? As other national boards have been prepared to talk with their unions while they have been in dispute, why cannot the British Railways Board talk properly to ASLEF?
§ The Prime MinisterThe fact that informal talks are taking place is to be welcomed, but as to whether there should be a formal meeting I should have thought that the hon. Gentleman would have been well aware of the inter-union relationship in this matter and of their relationship to the British Railways Board.