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Commons transport debate killed off

12th November 1976
Page 29
Page 29, 12th November 1976 — Commons transport debate killed off
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

THE LONG-AWAITED Commons debate on transport was killed off last week — because the Tories were anxious to score a victory over the Government on an entirely different issue.

Earlier on Thursday MPs held an emergency debate on the refusal of postmen to deliver to a strike-hit firm, and because of Commons technicalities the discussion was based on the motion "That this House do now adjourn".

When seven o'clock came and the debate should have ended, allowing the transport discussion to start, the Tories insisted on putting the matter to a vote, hoping to humiliate the Government.

But with many of its supporters away the Government was not prepared to risk a defeat and did not nominate any "Tellers" — the two MPs who count the number voting. So the motion was carried and to the annoyance of those Members who had wanted to talk about transport, the House had to pack up work.

There is pressure at Westminster for the debate to be reintroduced but the chances of this happening in the busy few days left of this session are pretty slim.

The Freight Transport Association circulated every Member of Parliament with a policy statement putting the industry's view on the Government Consultation Paper.

It said that the FTA believed the Green Paper to be "courageous and realistic" on the freight side.

"Rightly it sees the primary objective of transport policy as the provision of a system which meets the needs of users, rather than placing the emphasis on social, environmental or railway factors."

This, the statement went on, was critical if industry is to meet the needs of customers.

But the FTA questioned the logic of swingeing increases in vehicle taxation while rail freight remained subsidised. In any case lorries already paid their way. All that was in dispute was the allocation of the tax burden between different classes and weights of vehicles.

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