§ Mr. van Straubenzeeasked the Minister of Transport on what date work started on the preparation of the transport policy outlined in Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleI put the preparation of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057) in hand as soon as I took office.
§ Mr. van Straubenzeeasked the Minister of Transport to what extent the National Plan, Command Paper No. 2764, has been superseded by the White Paper on Transport Policy, Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleThe policies in Command Paper No. 3057 are consistent with the broad economic aims set out in paragraph 2 of Chapter 12 of the National Plan.
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§ Mr. Peter Walkerasked the Minister of Transport if she will list the radical changes in the Transport Act 1962 referred to in paragraph 3 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleThe changes which I consider necessary are clearly implied by the policies outlined in the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057). Details of the sections affected will be listed when the Government's legislative proposals are published.
§ Mr. Peter Walkerasked the Minister of Transport what account she intends to take of the rôle of internal air transport in the total transport picture.
Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Minister of Transport whether air transport comes within the compass of her plan for long-distance passenger transport in Great Britain; and whether she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CastleAs stated in paragraph 10 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057), account is being taken of the rôle of internal air services in the total transport picture: paragraphs 71 and 72 show how they are being related to regional transport planning. Until the advice of the Regional Economic Planning Councils is available it is not possible to say what action will be required.
Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport what effect the provisions of Command Paper No. 3073 will have on the measures detailed in paragraph 24 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleThe objects that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and I have in mind remain unchanged. But their implementation must take into account the considerations set out in Command 3073.
Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport in what proportion she intends to divide between local communities and Central Government the financial responsibilities for passenger services retained for local reasons.
§ Mrs. CastleI have nothing at present to add to what is stated in paragraph 27 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057).
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Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport how she defines financial equilibrium as referred to in paragraph 28 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleA state where the Board's revenue meets the charges properly attributable to its commercial activities, taking one year with another.
§ Mr. Websterasked the Minister of Transport is she will estimate the cost of her proposals in paragraph 61 of Command Paper No. 3057; and what proportion of the costs involved she proposes should come from reserves, from the local community and from central Government.
§ Mrs. CastleI am investigating, with the help of local authorities, the costs of providing an adequate public transport service as part of a comprehensive local transport plan.
§ Mr. Websterasked the Minister of Transport what she estimates will be the cost to central Government of her proposals in paragraph 62 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleThis will depend on what proposals are put to me as part of comprehensive local transport plans.
§ Mr. Websterasked the Minister of Transport by what date she expects to achieve the first of the immediate improvements in travel conditions referred to in paragraph 65 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleThe responsible authorities have already introduced, or put in hand, several improvements with the help of the Co-ordinating Council. I expect more to follow as ideas produced by the Council or its constituent Groups are followed up.
§ Mr. Websterasked the Minister of Transport when she will define the changes in the law which may be necessary in accordance with paragraph 65 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleSuch changes might be appropriate to major legislation on the organisation and financing of transport in London, to general traffic legislation, or to local legislation. For some, as explained in paragraph 70 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057), 273W I must await the development of longer-term studies. For all I expect to be ready to define what is needed in good time for the appropriate legislation.
§ Mr. Websterasked the Minister of Transport if she will list the deliberate measures of restraint which she is considering in paragraph 67 of Command Paper No. 3057.
§ Mrs. CastleI would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 52 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057).
§ Mr. Grantasked the Minister of Transport what steps the Government propose to take to promote co-ordination between the freight operations of the Railways Board and the Transport Holding Company, prior to the setting up of a National Freight Organisation.
§ Mrs. CastleAs paragraph 96 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057) makes clear, the Government are already discussing with the Railways Board and the Transport Holding Company how best to make an early start, in advance of legislation, on the coordination of the parcels service of B.R.S. with the freight sundries service of the Railways Board.
Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Minister of Transport what estimates she will make of the cost of implementing paragraph 79 of Command Paper No. 3057; and what proportion of the cost will come from her Department.
§ Mrs. CastleI am initiating consultations with local authorities and I cannot give an estimate until these are completed.
Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Minister of Transport (1) if she will estimate the amount of traffic which could be aggregated for through movement through terminals equipped with modern road-rail transfer facilities in the main centres of industry and population;
(2) what estimate she will give of the additional share of the growth of total demand for goods transport between 1965 and 1970 which can be gained by the railways as a result of her new plan for freight:
(3) whether she will give details of the integration and rationalisation of depots, warehouses and maintenance and 274W workshop bases in the publicly-owned transport undertakings as indicated in paragraph 92(1,a) of Command Paper No. 3057;
(4) to what extent it is Government policy to bring together within a single management marketing and developing policies at present applied by two separate managements of publicly-owned undertakings within the same sectors of the freight market; and what consultation she is holding with the Railways Board, the Holding Company, the transport unions and users' organisations on this point.
§ Mrs. CastleAs paragraph 93 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057) explains, details of the new national freight organisation are still being worked out. The integration of facilities and the marketing arrangements are among the matters on which consultation is now taking place. Realistic estimates of future rail traffic cannot be made until these studies have been completed.