Colonel NEWMANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he can facilitate a simpler and less expensive procedure by which the views of any special body of railway users may be presented before 51W the Railway Rates Tribunal regarding charges and methods and other questions arising under the Railways Act, 1921; and whether he is aware that the difficult and costly procedure at present required has the effect of practically preventing the views of the public from being heard?
§ Colonel ASHLEY:I cannot agree with the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion that the procedure of the Railway Rates Tribunal is difficult or costly. In my opinion the establishment of the tribunal gives to bodies of railway users new and ample opportunities of bringing to the determination of the tribunal questions as to railway charges or conditions of carriage. I would remind him that the tribunal consists of a chairman who is an experienced lawyer, one member who is versed in railway matters, and one member who is experienced in commercial affairs. Its rules of procedure and its scale of fees have been drawn up with a view to facilitating access to its jurisdiction.