HL Deb 22 June 1964 vol 259 cc10-1

2.55 p.m.

LORD WISE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will give an assurance that, if the line between East Dereham and Wells next the Sea is closed in October, British Railways Board will not be permitted to take up the track or dismantle the station buildings without the express permission of the Minister of Transport.]

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I regret that I cannot give the assurance for which the noble Lord asks. Before giving his consent to this closure, my right honourable friend considered whether it should be made subject to a condition of this kind. He decided that there were no grounds for doing so.

LORD WISE

My Lords, arising from that reply, may I point out that the line is due to close down on October 5, or thereabouts, and would it not be better policy if the matter of dismantling the buildings and removing the track were left to the next Parliament and the next Government?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I doubt that it would make very much difference. I expect the policy to continue to be the same.

LORD LINDGREN

My Lords, surely if the instructions given by a future Government to the Railways Board differ from those which have been given by the present Government, a different result may arise.

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, in such a hypothetical case, anything could happen.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, is not the noble Lord aware that my right honourable friend the Leader of the Opposition has given an assurance that if the social and economic conditions should justify such action the Labour Party, if returned to power, would continue lines of this description? Further, is he not aware that in this particular case, since the closure of the line to passenger freight would save only £2,000 and the subsidy to the bus company would cost £3,000, and in similar cases, the Labour Party would keep the line in being.

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I was aware of that, among many other extraordinary things which the right honourable gentleman in question has said on the subject of transport.

LORD MORRISON OF LAMBETH

My Lords, the noble Lord is in form to-day.

Forward to