§ 5. Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of his analysis of the responses he has received to Cmnd. 9063 and accompanying consultation papers.
§ 9. Mr. Cowansasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet in a position to publish a detailed analysis of the responses he has received to Cmnd. 9063.
§ The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Nicholas Ridley)In the period up to 21 March, 393 responses to my Department's consultation papers were received and they have all been carefully considered.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has made available two reports on the responses to the White Paper and associated consultation documents. These include summaries of views on the reallocation of transport responsibilities.
§ Mr. LoydenIn view of the responses received to Cmnd. 9063 and the policy of reallocation of responsibilities, have the Government changed their view on this matter, or has the consultative period simply been an academic exercise?
§ Mr. RidleySome responses were in favour of the Government's proposals, some were against, but many were addressed to particular parts of the proposals. All of those recommendations have been taken into account.
§ Mr. CowansIs the Secretary of State aware that there has been much anxiety about the delay in publishing the analysis? Although the Minister said that 393 responses had been received, is it not extremely odd that only 110 were published in his latest document, which has been placed in the Library? Will he give a categorical assurance that all responses will be published when he publishes his analysis of what has been said, because that is the only way in which hon. Members can ensure that the analysis is correct?
§ Mr. RidleyIt is for those whose submit their views to decide whether they should be published. If I were to publish every communication that I received from Opposition Members I am sure that they would censure me, because that would give away many things which they would rather not give away.
§ Mr. Lewis StevensWhen does my right hon. Friend expect to reach conclusions from his review of bus licensing?
§ Mr. RidleyFairly soon. I hope that it will be possible to publish a White Paper before too long.
§ Mr. WallerIs it not irresponsible for the metropolitan county councils, especially West Yorkshire council, to try to give the impression in advertisements that simply because the administration of public transport in the metropolitan counties will be changed, support will be withdrawn and many services will be cut?
§ Mr. RidleyI am afraid that we shall be subjected to groundless scaremongering similar to that indulged in by the GLC about London Transport. It would be better to await the detailed proposals, which will come forward in due course.
§ Mr. TerlezkiWill my right hon. Friend accept our congratulations on the steps that he has taken to open competition in European aviation? Does he agree that the new £49 return fare being offered by British Airways and KLM from London to Amsterdam shows—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I find it difficult to relate this to the main question.
§ Mr. Ridleyrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Wareing.
§ Mr. Ridleyrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I am not a transport expert, but I could not relate the hon. Gentleman's question to the main question. Perhaps the Minister can.
§ Mr. RidleyI believe that I can relate it, Mr. Speaker. What my hon. Friend says about the benefits which competition in transport services can bring in terms of falling costs and fares is applicable to how the metropolitan counties can manage their affairs when they cease to be in a position to waste money unnecessarily.
§ Mr. WareingDoes the Secretary of State agree that the overwhelming majority of responses to his White Paper, whether in general or in particular, opposed the Government's policy for rearranging the management of passenger transport, highways and traffic management? In the light of those responses, are the Government prepared to offer a fresh consultation paper?
§ Mr. RidleyNo. I am convinced that there is a great deal of duplication between the present metropolitan counties and the districts and that there will be considerable benefits to transports by bringing counties to an end. As I said to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden), while some of the responses were wholly in favour of the proposals, and some were wholly opposed to them, they were, in the main, directed to specific parts of the proposals and cannot be put into one category.
§ Mr. SnapeDoes the Secretary of State accept that the proposals in Cmnd. 9063 are, in the opinion of many of us, ill-conceived and ill-thought out. Judging by the votes of some of his right hon. and hon. Friends during the recent past, they are also extremely unpopular as well as undemocratic. Which Conservative party shall we listen to on transport?
§ Mr. RidleyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in the general election of June 1983 there was overwhelming support for the abolition of the metropolitan counties and the GLC? Who is he to question the views of the electorate?