§ Mr. Stokesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport (1) why the 12.15 a.m. train from Paddington to the West Country is not advertised, and why similar sleeping-car facilities cannot be provided on the ordinary night train travelling to Cornwall;
(2) asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of official passengers using the sleeping-car facilities provided on the 12.15 a.m. train from Paddington to the West Country for the month of August or other suitable period.
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§ Mr. Noel-BakerThe 12.15 a.m. train from Paddington to Cornwall is a newspaper train, not scheduled to carry passengers. As a special arrangement, sleeping accommodation is provided for twenty-four priority passengers; any berths surplus to priority requirements are available for disposal to the public. During the month of August the number of priority passengers for whom berths were reserved on this train was 404. There are serious operating difficulties in the way of providing sleepers on the ordinary night trains to Cornwall, but, at the request of a number of hon. Members, I am considering whether in present circumstances it would be practicable to surmount the difficulties.