Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Minister of Transport if she will refer the proposed 10 per cent. increase in motor-rail fares for the London-Scotland route to the National Board for Prices and Incomes; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Morris:The Railways Board are required to notify my right hon. Friend under Early Warning procedure of increases in their countrywide scales of fares and charges and these are referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes. Certain other local adjustments relating to particular routes or services are not formally notified in this way and it is for the Railways Board to make sure that any increases in charges are justified in terms of Prices and Incomes criteria. The revised motor-rail charges, some of which had not changed for a number of years and which had become uneconomic, come within this category and we see no case for referring these particular increases to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.