§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Transport if the National Water Council was asked or if it was requested to give oral evidence to the Armitage committee on lorries.
§ Mr. FowlerAt the outset of his independent inquiry Sir Arthur Armitage issued an open invitation, which was widely publicised, to submit written evidence. I understand the National Water Council responded to that invitation. Sir Arthur subsequently invited a number of organisations to supplement their written representations orally if they wished. The conduct of the inquiry was entirely a matter for Sir Arthur himself. His report does not include the National Water Council in the list of those who gave oral evidence.