HC Deb 08 March 1967 vol 742 cc291-2W
59. Mr. Ted Fletcher

asked the Minister of Transport how many, and what, official visits she and her Parliamentary Secretaries propose to make in the next six months in regard to her railway responsibilities.

Mr. John Morris

On present plans my right hon. Friend will be making three such visits in the course of the next six months.

On 31st March she will open the new design centre at the British Rail Workshops, Derby. On 9th June she will visit the latest stage of the suburban electrification scheme at Glasgow; on 10th July she will attend the inauguration of the new electric service between London and Bournemouth.

I have the following engagements during the same period: 10th March, tour of British Rail in Devon and Cornwall followed by meeting with railway trade unions in Exeter; 15th April, meeting with Manchester District Council of the National Union of Railwaymen; 22nd April, weekend school organised by the North East London Divisional Council of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association at Felixstowe.

These are the firm engagements which my right hon. Friend and I have at present. There will doubtless be others.

110. Mr. Francis Noel-Baker

asked the Minister of Transport how many official visits she has made to railway centres; and how many times she has inspected railway workshops in the last six months.

Mr. John Morris

My right hon. Friend has made no visits to railway workshops during this period, but she has made the following railway visits since becoming Minister of Transport22nd April, 1966: Inspection of London Midland electrification at Crewe and Manchester. July, 1966: Visit to freightliner terminal at York Way, London. 25th November, 1966: Leeds City Station which has just been rebuilt. 20th January, 1967: New Street Station, Birmingham which is being rebuilt.

During the same period, I have fulfilled the following engagements relating to my special responsibility for railway matters: 4th June 1966: Attended annual dinner of the Permanent Way Institute at Harrogate. 20th June, 1966: Made tour of North Eastern Region of British Railways. 4th July, 1966: Made tour of Scottish Region of British Railways. 11th July, 1966: Made tour of Eastern Region of British Railways. 15th July, 1966: Made tour of London Midland (North) Region of British Railways. 29th July, 1966: Made tour of Western Region of British Railways. 17th September, 1966: Meeting with North West Council of the National Union of Railwaymen. 29th September, 1966: Meeting with the Nottingham and other District Councils of the N.U.R. 30 September, 1966: Made tour of London Midland Region (South) of British Railways. 5th October, 1966: Meeting with the Westminster Branch of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association. 12th October, 1966: Meeting with the Midland District Council of the N.U.R. 24th February, 1967: Visit to the railway workshops at Eastleigh. 28th February, 1967: Meeting with North West London District Council of the N.U.R. 6th March, 1967: Attended opening of Birmingham (New Street) Station.