§ Mr. Thorneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he can make a statement about the progress in regard to concrete sleepers for railways; and what will be the approximate saving of timber if they are successful?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerExperiments are being conducted with 17 different types of concrete sleepers. While it is not yet possible to indicate the full extent to which they may be used in substitution for timber, those at present laid on railway tracks represent a saving of some 200,000 timber sleepers. In addition, more than 650,000 concrete sleepers have been laid in private and other sidings.