§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Transport how many trucks have been placed at the service of the manufacturers of Fletton bricks for rail transport of standard common bricks and common facing bricks during the past three months; and what was the freightage paid, the approximate average rail haul mileage per journey and the numbers of bricks of this standard type carried into other areas where brick manufacture of similar bricks and stocks are available.
§ Mr. BarnesFollowing is the available information for the three months ended 6th December, 1947:
No. of wagons supplied for bricks at Freight receipts £ s. d. Fletton 11,306 107,560 0 0 Millbrook 913 3,911 0 0 Bletchley 23 183 10 0 The average rail haul and the areas to which the bricks were carried could not be ascertained without considerable research.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the existence of approximately one hundred million standard common bricks lying idle in brick manufacturers yards while railway companies haul similar bricks to sites adjacent by road transport to those stocks; and what action he proposes to take to avoid this waste of railway transport.
§ Mr. BarnesMy attention has not been drawn to this, but I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works gave him on 19th December. Instructions issued to railway officers are that, when wagons are short, their supply for movement of bricks may be suspended.