§ Mr. N. CHAMBERLAINasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company have intimated that, on the 14th August next, they will close their carrying business over their own system and any canals connected therewith, also over the River Mersey between Ellesmere Port, Liverpool, Birkenhead, or any upper Mersey ports, and also between their canal and the railway systems via Calverley; that many of the places and districts served by the canal system are not accessible by rail, and the cessation of the service therefore amounts to a withdrawal of reasonable facilities in accordance with Section 2 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1854; whether the Shropshire Union system is leased in perpetuity to the London and North Western Railway Com- 909W pany, Limited; and whether he can take steps to provide that canals owned or controlled by railway companies shall be transferred to bodies controlling water ways or groups of waterways only?
§ Sir E. GEDDESI am aware that the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company, whose undertaking is leased in perpetuity to the. London and North Western Railway, have intimated that they will close their canal carrying business after the 31st August next. They state that they are incurring heavy loss in connection with the operation of their carrying business, and that they are advised that they are under no legal obligation to act as carriers. The canal itself will remain open for navigation by suitable boats subject to the payment of tolls. The suggestion contained in the last sentence of the question raises the problem of the future ownership and administration of the inland waterways of this country, upon which I have very recently received an interim Report from the Committee presided over by the hon. Member himself. I am not yet in a position to express any opinion on that Report.