§ Mr. BROMLEYasked the Minister of Transport if, seeing that the Railways Act of 1921 was passed into law for the purpose of grouping railways with a view to both greater efficiency and economy, he can say what are the reasons why the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railways and the Somerset and Dorset Railway are still outside the four groups of railways formed under the Railways Act, 1921; and whether he intends to take any steps to encourage the entry of these lines into their appropriate groups?
§ Colonel ASHLEYIt was not considered generally practicable in the Railways Act, 1921, to include in any one group lines which were jointly owned by companies included in different groups. I should certainly welcome any arrangements with regard to such lines which would tend to increased efficiency and economy, but the consideration and formulation of such schemes are primarily matters for the railway companies concerned.