HC Deb 31 January 1945 vol 407 cc1461-2W
Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport the amount of tonnage carried annually on the Manchester Ship Canal and the average on our inland waterways; and if he has any comparable figures for the Dortmund-Ems and Albert canals.

Mr. Noel-Baker

About 7,500,000 tons of traffic a year is carried on the Manchester Ship Canal, and 11,250,000 tons on the other inland waterways in Great Britain. The traffic on the southern section of the Dortmund-Ems Canal (Bergeshovede-Batteln) is estimated to have increased from 1,000,000 tons a month before the war to 2,000,000 tons a month in June, 1944. The traffic passing Hasselt on the Albert Canal amounted to 3,500,000 tons in 1936; it is estimated that about the same tonnage may have passed last year.

Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he will make a full statement on the negotiations that have taken place with the canal companies over the financial arrangements with controlled undertakings; who took part in the negotiations; which companies have rejected the proposals; and on what grounds.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Forty-one canal undertakings are controlled by the Government. Financial terms have beeen agreed with 31 of them; negotiations with seven others are going on. The three remaining undertakings are the Grand Union Canal Company and its subsidiaries, the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company, and the Erewash Canal Carrying Company. These Companies have rejected the Government's terms. I understand that they have done so because they are not satisfied with the amount of the annual payment offered by the Government.

Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he can give the terms of reference of the investigation being made into our inland waterways; the names of members of the committee, their ages and what they are connected with; and if any interim report has been asked for on the action to be taken in order to modernise inland waterways.

Mr. Noel-Baker

In 1941 my Noble Friend appointed the Central Canal Committee to advise the Ministry on questions affecting inland waterways. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of its terms of reference and a note on its membership. Investigations into inland waterway problems have also been made, and are now being made, by officers of the Ministry itself.