HC Deb 04 June 1942 vol 380 cc834-5W
Mr. A. Edwards

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport why a special train was run to convey the Prime Minister and his party to Leeds on his recent visit and how many coaches were used; and on how many occasions special trains have been used for similar purposes in the last 12 months?

Mr. Noel-Baker

The special train was run to ensure that the Prime Minister should be able to carry out his public engagements punctually and with the least expenditure of time and fatigue. This train is specially equipped to make it possible for the Prime Minister to carry out his normal work while travelling. It would not be in the public interest to state the number of coaches of which it consisted, or to give other particulars by which it might be identified. I do not fully understand what my hon. Friend means by "similar purposes"; to ascertain the number of occasions on which special trains have been used would necessitate an amount of labour which I do not, as at present advised, consider to be justified.