asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he will make the necessary arrangements with the railway companies for workmen's tickets to be available for 48 hours instead of 24 as at present, especially owing to the fact that in certain factories the hours of work and the carrying out of air-raid precautions, fire watching and other defence duties, prevent the holder of the ticket from using the return half within the specified time?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he is now able to make a statement regarding tram and omnibus return tickets?

Workmen's tickets, available for return at the end of the shift, though this may be on the day following the date of issue, are available to artisans, mechanics and labourers on late shifts, who produce the necessary certificate from their employers. This applies to the railways and to all forms of transport in London on which workmen's tickets are available. As announced in reply to Questions on 30th January and 19th February, special concession fares are available on the railways to full-time Civil Defence workers and to fire watchers.

Why should it be necessary to have these certificates? In view of the heroic and devoted service that these men and women are doing in fire watching and A.R.P. duties, why cannot the tickets by simply extended to 48 hours to enable the return half to be used next day?

These certificates from the employers and the Civil Defence force are needed to distinguish those who are doing these patriotic duties and other people who might not be and who, if there were no certificates, might try to take advantage of this concession.

Why cannot the facilities provided on other forms of transport in this direction be extended to trams and buses?

The concession for the extra shift does operate on all trams and buses on which workmen's fares operate.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that further facilities are granted in other forms of transport, and why cannot they be extended to trams and buses?

I am not certain what other concession my hon. Friend has in mind.

On the Underground a return ticket for one day is available the next day.

The return ticket is available on trams and buses at the end of the shift, although the shift ends on the day after that on which the ticket was issued.

This facility holds for the whole of the following day on the Underground.

My hon. Friend is wrong.