§ 97. Mr. W. Shepherdasked the Minister of Transport if he will inquire into the practice of gratuities being offered and accepted as the basis for allocation of sleeping berths on railways, with special reference to the Manchester-London run, and take steps to prevent it.
§ Mr. BarnesFollowing representations from the hon. Member, I inquired specially into the allocation of berths on the Manchester-London service on an occasion to which he referred, but I was satisfied that the berths had been properly allocated in order of application. Both I and the railway company are concerned at the suggestion that gratuities influence the allocation of sleeping berths, and if the hon. Member has any evidence that this is the case, I will, as I have already told him, make further inquiries.