§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport how much of the £30,000,000 handed over by the Government to the railway companies has been spent by them in the payment of dividends; and whether the Government, when handing over the remaining £30,000,000 in January, will endeavour to obtain an assurance from the companies that the present high rate of passenger fares will be substantially reduced?
§ Mr. NEALFrom the £30,000,000 already paid by the Government to the railway companies in Great Britain, the companies appropriated in their accounts, in respect of the year 1921, £4,478,250 for revenue purposes, which include the payment of dividends. I have no powers to introduce new conditions when making1052W the payment of the second moiety of the lump sum, and would refer the hon. Member to Sub-section (4) of Section 11 of the Railways Act, 1901