§ Sir W. de FRECEasked the Minister of Labour whether, in connection with the employment of grants for the relief of unemployment, any application has at any time been made in connection with, on the one hand the creation of light railways, and on the other railway extension: if so, what were the applications and what in each case was the response; and whether, in view of the large amount of unskilled labour which such enterprise would absorb, he will state the attitude of his Department towards such assisted undertakings?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have been asked to reply. I am always ready to give sympathetic consideration to applications for powers to enable light railways to be constructed or extended, and have recently made several Orders under the Light Railways Acts. The Unemployment Grants Committee are prepared to consider applications for financial assistance towards the construction or extension of light railways in suitable cases. Government assistance has been given, or promised, with a view to the relief of unemployment, in the case of the following cross-country light railways: North Devon and Cornwall Junction, Welsh Highland, and Longridge and Hellifield, Suggestions have been made that assistance should be given in other cases, but it is difficult to describe such suggestions in p, comprehensive list.