Inland Waterways

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 4 December 1959.

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Photo of Mr Robert Mellish Mr Robert Mellish , Bermondsey 12:00, 4 December 1959

I listened to what I thought was a very good speech by the hon. Member, but I do not think that he listened to the earlier part of my remarks, in which I dealt with what the Commission has done. I believe that it has done a magnificent job for the country.

I believe that the Class A and Class B canals are an integral part of the system of canals which is essential to navigation and that if the Commission is to run the Class A canals, as everyone seems to think it should run them, it should be allowed to have the Class B canals to run, too. If that is not done, and if the alternative plan of the Bowes Committee were to be accepted, it would spell the end of the conception which we as a party have always had of an integrated national transport system. By its terms of reference and outlook the I.W.C. would be less capable than the B.T.C. of appreciating the overall economic advantage to the nation of the different forms of transport. Nor do I agree with the remark made during the debate that the position of the inland waterways has suffered because the B.T.C. was train-minded. The work of the B.T.C. shows that it has done all it possibly can with the money allowed. It has a record of which the House can be very proud.

Furthermore, there would be no financial saving if the alternative plan were accepted, but there would be a drastic change in the administrative pattern which, again, would have a bad effect on the morale and efficiency on those who are already in the inland waterways service.

Although I am a Londoner, and fear to mention Scotland in the debate, I ought to remind the House that the Caledonian and Crinan canals are to be retained as navigable waterways for their value to the social and economic life of the Highlands, the cost being borne on the Scottish Office Vote. We think that that is desirable. The remaining canals would be dealt with under the W.R.B. procedure.

Our conclusion is that after a good deal of uncertainty, there is a chance of settling this matter, which has troubled the nation for a long time. We press the Government to accept in principle the Committee's Report and recommendations. Of the liabilities to the Exchequer involved by the recommendations, some will merely be an accounting transaction in lieu of the deficits already shown in the B.T.C.'s finances and some will be a payment for recreational and social benefits comparable with that under the National Park Acts. We believe that much can be done by new legislation to ensure that the National Parks Commission, for example, takes its share of responsibility for some of these canals. The National Parks Commission would like to do that. Examples have been given to me in which it has tried to do this, but negotiations have always broken down on the question of finance.

The remainder, whatever figure may be finally accepted, will be the price we shall have to pay for the legacy which we have inherited from the past. I know that the Government do not intend to reject the Committee's Report, but to reject it and do nothing would be to condemn the Transport Commission to a hopeless future of perpetually meeting the deficits of these waterways and being the target, as it has been for some time, of an unending bombardment of outraged public opinion.

I hope that the Parliamentary Secretary will have more to say than is contained in the White Paper. He should recognise from the volume of opinion behind him and from this side of the House that we believe that, now that the General Election is over, if there is to be a future for the waterways system in this country, only by State aid can this be brought about. This subsidy would be well worth while. The Chancellor is budgetting for nearly £5,000 million in the financial year. If, over a number of years, £5 million of that is spent on Britain's waterways system, it will be money well spent. There can be no excuse for not finding the money.