§ Mr. D. GRAHAMasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if he will state the amount of reduction in railway rates in England and Wales; and whether there has been any or a similar amount of reduction in railway rates in Scotland?
§ Mr. NEALThe percentage increase over pre-War railway rates has been reduced from 100 per cent. to 75 per cent. in respect of certain traffics, including coal and raw materials for the iron and steel industry. The statement appended gives particulars of the traffics referred to. Reductions in the appropriate flat rate addition have also been made.
England and Wales.
Iron ore, ironstone, limestone, for blast furnaces and steel works (reductions operative from 1st November, 1921).
Coal, coke and patent fuel; limestone for chemical works; lime in Class "B" for iron and steel-making purposes; iron and steel in Class "B" of General Railway Classification (reductions operative from 1st January, 1922).
The Scottish Companies generally have granted similar reductions in regard to:
Iron ore, ironstone, and limestone, for blast furnaces and steel works (reductions operative from 1st November, 1921),
while the Caledonian, Glasgow and South Western and North British Companies have also conceded similar reductions for:
Coal, coke and patent fuel for blast furnaces and steel works; lime in Class "B" for iron and steel-making purposes; basic material for steel works; and iron and steel in Class "B" of the General Railway Classification (reductions operative from 15th February, 1922).
It is understood that the reductions have been granted experimentally for a period of 12 months.