HC Deb 25 October 1939 vol 352 cc1419-20W
Mr. Lyons

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the fact that members of His Majesty's Forces proceeding on leave in this country are issued with tickets on the railways at a cost of one-half of the ordinary return fare; and whether, in view of the fact that the ordinary return fare is greatly in excess of the monthly return fare available generally to all travellers, he will arrange with the railway companies, so long as leave tickets are chargeable at all, to issue to men proceeding on leave all tickets at one- half of the monthly return fare, so that the concession of half-fare may be a real one?

Captain Wallace

Members of His Majesty's Forces travelling on leave at their own expense are given a single ticket at half the ordinary single fare or a return ticket at ordinary single fare. This concession was made in December, 1932. At that time week-end tickets were issued to travellers generally at single fare plus one-third, and in May, 1933, the same payment of single fare plus one-third was extended to cover return tickets available for one month.

The present concessions to members of His Majesty's Forces, and to travellers generally, have thus been in operation concurrently for more than six years. Any further concession could not be justified on economic grounds. Free travelling warrants are granted to members of His Majesty's Forces on certain occasions.