asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether travellers holding third- class tickets are entitled to use first-class carriages if no seating accommodation in the third-class is available?

The instructions issued to railway staff are that, when third-class accommodation on a train is seriously overcrowded, third-class passengers may be allowed to occupy first-class seats without extra charge. It is, however, necessary to have some regard to the requirements of passengers holding first-class tickets who may join the train later in its journey.

Is it not a fact that this is a democratic country and that to nine-tenths of the population democracy means travelling first with a third-class, ticket?

Who is to decide what is serious overcrowding?

That is left to the discretion of the competent railway officials who are charged with administering the instruction.

Is not the best solution to wipe out first-class travelling altogether?

I said a day or two ago, in reply to a Question, that I think the reasons" in favour of the retention of first-class accommodation still hold good.

Is it correct that a third-class passenger cannot enter a first-class carriage without permission from the guard or ticket collector?

A third-class passenger has no prerogative right to a first-class seat without permission of the competent official. That is the only possible system, and I think the officials are doing very well.