§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether, in considering relief works to be undertaken to relieve unemployment, he will consider the restoration of the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway, seeing that the closing of this line has seriously affected the agricultural industry in the district and added to unemployment, and that profit on the working of the line would be assured by running it as a motor halt service thus saving the cost of staffs at the stations on the line?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ASHLEYI have carefully considered this question, but, as the hon and gallant Member was previously informed, this line was run at a loss during the whole of the 16 years that it was in use. During the period of Government control it was considered that the Minister would not be justified in pressing the company to restore the services. The company have now given notice of a Bill for the abandonment of this section of the undertaking, and I do not feel able to ask them to reconsider this decision.