HC Deb 21 July 1937 vol 326 cc2213-4W
Sir W. Smiles

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that, in the first inquiry arranged by him under the Trunk Roads Act with regard to the provision of a by-pass and new bridge at Selby, the technical assessor assisting the Commissioner in charge of the inquiry was a partner in the firm of consulting engineers who have been responsible for framing the by-pass scheme which formed the subject of the inquiry; and whether he will give an undertaking that in all future such inquiries both the commissioner and his technical assistant will be free of any business interest in the subject of the inquiry?

Mr. Pritt

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that Sir Leopold Saville, whom he appointed as technical assessor to the commissioner charged with the duty of inquiring into and reporting upon the objections to the Selby by-pass scheme, is a partner in the firm of consulting engineers who were appointed by the East and West Riding County Councils, in conjunction with his department, to draw up the details of this scheme; and whether, in view of the resentment caused amongst those who attended the inquiry to submit objections he will disregard any report made as a result of the said inquiry and order a fresh inquiry to be held in which the assessor will not be in the position of sitting in judgment upon the work of his own firm?

Mr. Wragg

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the scheme for constructing a by-pass route at Selby was drawn up by the firm of Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners, and that at the public inquiry held at Selby, on Friday, 16th July, to hear objections to this scheme, the technical assessor appointed to assist the commissioner in charge of the inquiry was a partner in that same firm of consulting engineers; and whether he will arrange that in future inquiries of this nature the persons charged with reporting to him the objections of local interests will be of an entirely independent character?

Sir R. Gower

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a partner in the firm of consulting engineers who evolved the Selby by-pass scheme appeared in the position of an advisory judge upon the objections lodged against the scheme at the local inquiry held at Selby on 16th July; and whether he can give an assurance that in such inquiries under the Trunk Roads Act this procedure will not be repeated?

Mr. Denville

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that in the first inquiry arranged by him under the Trunk Roads Act with regard to the provision of a by-pass and new bridge at Selby, the technical assessor assisting the Commissioner in charge of the inquiry was a partner in the firm of consulting engineers who have been responsible for working out the details of the very bypass scheme which formed the subject of the inquiry; and whether he will give an undertaking that in all future such inquiries both the Commissioner and his technical assistant will be free of any business interest in the subject of the inquiry?

Mr. Burgin

The person appointed by me to hold the inquiry is a member of the Bar, who is not an official of my Department. He will report to me in due course: and it is upon his report that I shall take my decision. I appointed as a technical assessor to attend the inquiry a distinguished engineer who is a partner in the firm to whom it is proposed to entrust the general supervision of the scheme, if it be decided upon, because I felt that in this case the inquiry was principally a matter of explanation and would be facilitated by his detailed knowledge of a complicated scheme.