asked the Minister of Transport (1) what information he has received, under Section 56(8) of the Transport Act, 1962, regarding objections lodged with the appropriate area Transport Users' Consultative Committee to the proposed closures of the Aviemore-Grantown-Elgin and Fort William-Mallaig lines;

(2) what information he has received, under Section 56(8) of the Transport Act, 1962, regarding objections lodged with the appropriate area Transport Users' Consultative Committee to the proposed closures of the Inverness-Wick and Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh lines.

asked the Minister of Transport what information he has received, under Section 56(8) of the Transport Act, 1962, regarding objections lodged with the appropriate Area Transport Users' Consultative Committee to proposed railway closures in the Highlands.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received information from the Transport Users' Consultative Committee under the provisions of Section 56(8) of the Transport Act, 1962, concerning objections to the closing, of the Inverness-Wick and Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh passenger services.

The Scottish Transport Users' Consultative Committee has told me that objection has been lodged to each of the proposals for closure of passenger services in the Highlands of which the Railways Board has given notice, including those of services on the Inverness-Wick, Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh, and Aviemore-Grantown-Elgin lines, and of certain stations on the Fort William-Mallaig line.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that considerable anxiety is felt in the North lest an insufficient number of days is allotted to the hearings of the Transport Users' Consultative Committee, which, I understand, is the statutory body which will hear these objections? Will my right hon. Friend bear this fact in mind when the Committee submits its opinion to him, or to the Secretary of State for Scotland, whichever the case may be?

The Scottish Transport Users' Consultative Committee is a statutory body and an independent one, but I will call its attention to the supplementary question which my hon. Friend has raised.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the chairman of the Committee has announced that he will see only one or two of the objectors? Will he take steps to ensure that the Committee sees all the objectors? They are very angry about this in the North.

The procedure of the Transport Users' Consultative Committee is settled by the body itself. It is independent of me, and it must do what it thinks best in the matter of hearing objections.

Since the right hon. Gentleman was largely responsible for the appointment of the individual concerned, will he now take steps to remove him from office?

I do not think that I shall do that.