Sir Eric Geddes: No, Sir; I wish to correct that statement at once. I am returning to no railway company.
Sir Eric Geddes: I hope the House will now allow me to have the Third Reading of this Bill. I should like, however, to make one point clear in reply to what my right hon. Friend opposite put to me. He said that no settlement of these outstanding matters with the railways ought to be come to without the cognisance of the House. That the Leader of the House has agreed to as far as is possible. With that I...
Sir Eric Geddes: I will see what I can do.
Sir Eric Geddes: Owing to the fact that certain important witnesses are still in hospital, the Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways has not yet been able to conclude his Inquiry into the circumstances attending this regrettable accident. The railway company, however, assure me that all precautionary measures are being taken to guard against a recurrence of such an accident, and both they and the Chief...
Sir Eric Geddes: The railway companies propose to run during the Easter holidays special day excursion trains at a single fare for the double journey, and period excursions, outward journey on Thursday before Easter and return journey Monday or Tuesday after Easter, but not both days, at single faro and one-third for the double journey, with a minimum for period excursions of 15s. The excursion tickets will...
Sir Eric Geddes: As soon as arrangements are made.
Sir Eric Geddes: I have nothing to do with steamers unless they are owned by railway companies.
Sir Eric Geddes: I shall be glad if my hon. Friend will put down a question.
Sir Eric Geddes: Yes, it applies to all railways.
Sir Eric Geddes: Short-distance trains do not pay.
Sir Eric Geddes: We have to look at what will pay.
Sir Eric Geddes: This cannot conveniently be dealt with in question and answer, and I must ask the hon. Member to await for the Debate on the Estimates.
Sir Eric Geddes: The late solicitor to the London and North Western Railway is not acting and has not at any time acted for the Ministry of Transport; he is employed by the railway companies, and has, with the honorary solicitor to a committee of the Railway Companies' Association, been in consultation, on behalf of the railway companies, with the Ministry of Transport on various points in connection with the...
Sir Eric Geddes: Mr. Andrews is in consultation with the Minister of Trans port, together with Mr. Dixon Davies, and both, as far as I am concerned, are solicitors representing the railway companies.
Sir Eric Geddes: I am afraid I cannot answer that, for the railway companies must appoint their own representatives. Mr. Andrews is in no way representative of my Department.
Sir Eric Geddes: The preliminary classification of roads in England, Wales, and Scotland is practically complete, though some matters of detail have still to be discussed with a few highway authorities. An announcement with regard to the contribution from the Road Fund towards the cost of maintenance of classified roads will be made before the commencement of the next financial year.
Sir Eric Geddes: I think my answer covers that point.
Sir Eric Geddes: I do not know whether any of the articles in the Press are within the description of "inspired" articles, as my hon. Friend uses the word. If any such propaganda work is done by officers and servants of railway companies, the cost undoubtedly falls on the taxpayer.
Sir Eric Geddes: I have been able to read some of the speeches of the chairmen of the railway companies, but not all of them, as there are 114 controlled companies. I cannot, therefore, reply to the second part of the question, but if my hon. and gallant Friend is correct in his suggestion, I entirely disagree with it. As regards the last part of the question, I refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the recent...
Sir Eric Geddes: In introducing this Supplementary Estimate, I would invite attention to the fact that the original Estimate, made October a year ago, was for £22,000,000. The Supplementary Estimate appears at first sight to be 100 per cent. additional to the original Estimate. It is really not quite so wide of the mark as that, because this figure is a balance figure. It is the balance between an income of...