HC Deb 18 January 1982 vol 16 c19W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the regularity with which Great Britain's road and rail transport and other public services come to a halt as soon as there is even a relatively mild fall of snow or the weather becomes really severe, she will take steps more effectively to co-ordinate the administrative responsibility of the Departments and public organisations concerned, with a view to ensuring that more effective action is taken to prevent these breakdowns in the normal workings of British public and private industrial and other activities.

The Prime Minister

Recent weather conditions in Britain have been unusually severe with the coldest temperatures for 30 years in the North, severe blizzards throughout the country and floods in the South-West and Yorkshire. The authorities concerned have coped manfully with these difficulties. I cannot praise too highly the efforts of those who have worked in appalling conditions to bring relief.

I do not believe that an additional layer of bureaucracy could help to expedite the response to such unpredictable problems.