Mr. DOYLEasked the Minister of Transport how many motor lorries are there for disposal at Slough and other Government centres; how many have been disposed of to ex-servicemen on the instalment system; and what arrangement, he is making with a view to relieving the congestion of the docks and railways by developing road transport?
§ Mr. NEALThe first two parts of this question should be addressed to my hon. Friend, the Deputy Minister of Munitions, As regards the third part. My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, considers it desirable to leave the development of road transport to private enterprise. The use of Government lorries under the emergency scheme to relieve congestion at certain ports is not considered to be any longer of value except for a further short period in Liverpool and Manchester. It has therefore been discontinued elsewhere as it was very costly. Nearly 1,400 Government lorries have been supplied to railway companies to supplement their cartage strength for ordinary railway work, and have done a good deal to relieve congestion at the railway terminals.