§ 57. Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Minister of Transport why, having invited a joint delegation from the Government Advisory Panel of the Highlands and Islands, the Scottish Touring Board, and the Highlands local authorities to meet him in London in December, he refused to consider the views of the delegates.
§ Mr. MarplesThe deputation came to see me at their own request. The matter which 1 indicated to the deputation that I could not go into was the merits of the British Transport Commission's proposals to close a number of wayside stations and two branch lines between Inverness and Wick and Thurso. These proposals had already been thoroughly investigated and approved by the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for Scot land set up under the Transport Acts for the purpose. I explained to the deputation that, in the circumstances obtaining, I had no powers to act on the proposals.