§ 48. Miss Herbisonasked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received regarding the necessity of taking steps to alter the procedure of transport users' consultative committees, in view of proposals by the Scottish Transport Users' Consultative Committee regarding the limitation of the number of people who may give evidence at a hearing; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. MarplesI received representations about the committee's intention to limit hearings on the proposals to close the lines north and west of Inverness from Dingwall Town Council and my hon. Friend the Member for Ross and Cromarty (Sir J. MacLeod). I shall be saying in reply that this is a matter primarily for the committee's own decision. There is no statutory requirement that the committees should hear objectors in person.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister received representations from the North of Scotland Transport Conference, 155W who were referred to my reply to a supplementary question from the hon. Member for Inverness (Mr. N. McLean) on 12th February. I understand that within the two days arranged for the Inverness hearings every person who wished to amplify his written objections was given the opportunity to do so.