§ Major GLYNasked the Minister of Transport whether it is still intended to ignore the grouping proposals put for- 581W ward by the railway companies and Chambers of Commerce of Scotland; whether he has received sufficient evidence to show that to group the Scottish railways together in the manner proposed in the Ministry of Transport scheme will mean the ruin of Scottish trade; and whether, seeing Great Britain has already railways grouped on the West, Midland, and East Coast systems, he will consider if, from geographical as well as trading reasons, the railway boards and Chambers of Commerce are well founded in their views as to the evil effects that will result from the Government scheme?
§ Sir E. GEDDESIn answer to the first part of the question, I prefer not to anticipate the provisions of the Bill to be introduced. The answer to the second part is in the negative. The latter part of the question raises difficult and controversial points which cannot conveniently be dealt with by question and answer.