§ Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Transport on what geographical principle he appoints the members of Transport Users Consultative Committees; how many members of the East Anglian Transport Users Consultative Committee live within easy reach of the part of Essex served by the Wickford-Southminster branch line; and whether he satisfies himself, before accepting a report from such a committee, that a reasonable number of its members have been 170W appointed as having personal knowledge of an affected district.
§ Mr. MarshI appoint members of Transport Users Consultative Committees after consultation with organisations representative of a wide variety of transport users. In determining the final composition of a committee, I ensure that a geographical spread of membership is maintained, and this enables the committee to report authoritatively on matters affecting any part of its area. Four members of the present East Anglian Committee live and work in South-East Essex.
§ Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Transport whether he forwarded to the Transport Users Consultative Committee the representations against the suspension of Sunday services on the Wickford-Southminster branch line he received from hon. Members and others; what steps he took to ensure that these were forwarded in time for their copying and circulation to the committee before the meeting at which this matter was discussed; and if he will ask the committee to provide, to be placed in the Library of the House, the minutes of this meeting.
§ Mr. MarshThe answer to the first part of the Question is, Yes.
It is for the committee itself to decide what arrangements are appropriate to enable it to discharge its functions. I understand that in this case a list of those who made representations, together with a resumé of the points made by each, was circulated in advance to members of the committee.
The answer to the last part of the Question is, No.