HC Deb 07 April 1976 vol 909 cc423-5
26. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make an announcement about the chairmanship of British Rail.

12. Mr. Whitehead

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the name of the new Chairman of British Rail.

Mr. Crosland

I am glad to be able to inform the House that Mr. Peter Parker has accepted my invitation to serve as Chairman of the British Railways Board for a term of five years, when Sir Richard Marsh's appointment comes to an end in September. With the agreement of Sir Richard Marsh, I am in the meantime appointing Mr. Parker as a part-time member of the Board.

Mr. Canavan

I congratulate Mr. Parker on his appointment. Will my right hon. Friend point out to him the need for more co-ordinated Socialist planning in running an essential public service such as British Rail? Will he express the hope that Mr. Parker will not turn out to be a butcher, like Lord Beeching, or a simple careerist, like Richard Marsh?

Mr. Crosland

I very much resent the last remark made by my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan). Whatever one may think about Sir Richard Marsh, whom I have known for many years, it is intolerable to call him a simple careerist. I greatly resent that suggestion. I do no think it is for me to lecture Mr. Peter Parker. He has been a member of the Labour Party for at least as long as has my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire. Mr. Parker has long been associated with the nationalised industries. Therefore, I would regard it as an impertinence on my part to lecture him on the principles of running a nationalised industry.

Mr. Raison

I should like to add the congratulations of the Opposition to Mr. Parker and wish him good luck in the job—luck that he no doubt will need. At least he knows about profits. Has the Secretary of State told Mr. Parker about reports that the Government are proposing, as part of their new transport policy, to transfer subsidies from rail to bus services?

Mr. Crosland

I must ask the hon. Gentleman to contain himself until next Tuesday, when we shall publish our consultative document on transport.

Mr. Cryer

Will my right hon. Friend consider sympathetically any representations that Mr. Parker might make to ensure that British Rail is given a much greater proportion of freight traffic? Is he aware that in West Yorkshire British Rail has suggested that it could carry many more passengers and much more freight on the existing network, at a fraction of the cost of improving the motorway system?

Mr. Crosland

I shall consider very sympathetically any points that Mr. Peter Parker may wish to put to me. However, I ask the House to await publication of the consultative document next week, which will give, in broad outline, the Government's transport strategy.

Mr. Fry

May I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on confirming one of the worst-kept Government secrets by announcing Mr. Parker's appointment? Will he instruct the new Chairman of British Rail to publish full statistics regarding losses on individual routes, so that accurate assessments may be made of where subsidies are going?

Mr. Crosland

I hope that the consultative document will give the most detailed breakdown yet made in this country of where subsidy—not only for railways, but for transport as a whole—is going. As for this being one of the worst-kept secrets, I can think of far worse-kept secrets than this. I must remind the House that we believe in open government.

Mr. Ron Lewis

May I, on behalf of the railway trade unions, congratulate my right hon. Friend on making this appointment? Will he suggest to the new Chairman that he takes the railway unions into his confidence a little more than has been the case hitherto?

Mr. Crosland

My hon. Friend probably knows that Mr. Parker has specialised very strongly in industrial relations. Throughout his life, his relations with trade unions have been excellent. I am glad to say that Mr. Sidney Weighell the general secretary of my hon. Friend's union, issued a statement today welcoming the appointment.