§ Sir A. FELLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if his attention has been called to the complaints of the chairmen of numerous industrial companies of the handicap imposed on British trade by the railway charges on goods traffic and that to-day the cost of transporting one ton of bar iron from Low Moor to Liverpool is£2 5s. 4d. against 15s. 10d. in July, 1914, and to Manchester£l 18s. 7d. against 10s. 6d.; whether these present rates were the rates charged during the Government control of the railways; and, since no real and lasting revival of trade is possible whilst such railway charges continue, will he consider what steps may be taken, whether by legislation or otherwise, to reduce them?
§ Mr. NEALThere have been no general increases in railway rates comparable with those quoted by the hon. Member. I am obtaining particulars of the present and pre-War rates for bar-iron between the places mentioned and will communicate them to him later. The Minister has now no jurisdiction over railway rates. Under Part III of the1014W Railways Act of last Session machinery for dealing with them has been set up, which, in my opinion, adequately safeguards the interests of the traders and the public generally. The Rates Tribunal is ready and willing to deal promptly with any application made to them by the traders.