§ Mr. ALFRED DAV1ES (Clitheroe)asked the Minister of Transport whether the decision of the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway Company to transfer their cross-Channel passenger service from Folkestone to Dover has received his sanction; the reason for this transfer; whether, in diverting the passenger traffic to Dover, the company proposes to impose charges to recover the cost of building the new Dover station: and whether, in view of the fact that Folkestone has been an important cross Channel port of passenger traffic for many years and that, as a consequence of the company's policy, many men in Folkestone are being discharged, he will have this matter reconsidered?
§ Mr. NEALThe transfer of the cross-Channel passenger service from Folkestone to Dover has been effected with the knowledge of the Minister of Transport. The transfer is purely temporary, and 1565W has arisen on account of the necessity of re-conditioning certain of the cross-Channel boats belonging to the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. I understand that the company proposes to reestablish the service from Folkestone as soon as this work has been effected.