§ Mr. GOULDasked the Minister of Transport if the appointment of a Mr. Swain, of Pontypridd, Glamorgan, to be Area Commissioner for Wales, was made with his approval; if he is aware that Mr. Swain was formerly manager of a gas company; whether he can state if any applications were received from men with expert transport knowledge; and, if so, why an appointment was given to a man without particular training and experience?
§ Mr. NEALThe appointment referred to was made with the approval of the Minister of Transport, and it is correct that Mr. Swain was formerly manager of a gas company. He has had a valuable commercial experience, which particularly fits him for the, area to which he has been appointed, and with which he is specially conversant. He was selected from among a large number of candidates. Area Transport Commissioners have no executive functions—they have been appointed primarily for the purpose of investigating on the spot the requirements of traders, agriculturists, and the public generally, for new transport facilities in their areas and for reporting thereon to the Ministry. Where any questions requiring expert knowledge in any particular form of transport arise, they are dealt with by the technical officers of the Ministry or of the transport agencies in the area.