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• Christmas Box for the Railways
Page 63
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THE Government White Paper on the Railways is now expected before Christmas. Lord Mills, the PaymasterGeneral, gave this news to the Lords in an economic debate on Monday.
He also declared: "It has been no pert of the Government's recent consideration of the affairs of the B.T.C., or their discussions with the special advisory group (The Stedeford Committee) to consider the hiving up of any of their assets and their return to private ownership and control. The Government has been concerned only with the consideration of measures designed to improve the service, efficiency and economy of the organization, and the elements comprising the B.T.C."
At the same time, Lord Mills made it clear that the B.T.C. must still he prepared for a shake up. The industry, he said, must be of a size and pattern suited to modern conditions and prospects, and the railway system must be remodelled to meet current needs. The public must bc prepared to accept changes even if the, meant some sacrifice of convenience,
The B.T.C. must accept a radical reorganization of its structure, including decentralization of management, so that individual undertakings, including the railway regions, should be made selfaccounting and responsible for the management of their own affairs.
With the White Paper now scheduled to appear before Christmas, the timetable could •be a debate after Parliament resumes at the end of January, leaving plenty of time for a Bill to be reintroduced for the •second half of the Parliamentary Session.