§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Defence what are the special rates for rail transport for Service personnel traffic agreed upon between the Service Departments and the British Transport Commission; how long have these rates been in existence; whether they are revised from time to time; and what would have been the extra cost to public funds in the financial year 1950–51 if this traffic had been charged at ordinary rates.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe special rates for Service personnel traffic agreed upon between the Service Departments and the railway companies under Section 6 of the Cheap Trains Act, 1883, have been in operation since December, 1932. The rates are based upon the payment of half the public fare in respect of a single journey, and the full public fare for a single journey in respect of a return journey.
As a matter of accounting convenience, the railway regions now charge the Service Departments an average fare for each journey irrespective of the distance actually travelled. This average fare is computed from a check of all the warrants used in a given period and is revised from time to time. It is not possible to state precisely what would have been the extra cost to public funds in 1950–51 if this traffic had been charged at full public fares and assuming that, in that event, the whole of the traffic had been carried by the railways; but an approximate estimation is £2,500,000.