Levy Estimate Not Yet Revised
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ANO ['HER attack was made on the denationalization of road haulage by the Opposition in the House of Commons last week, and was followed up in Monday's debate on the British Transport Commission's annual report (page 786).
Mr. Ernest Davies suggested that the estimate by the Minister of Transport of £20m. as the capital loss on.the sale of assets of British Road Services was likely to be incorrect. He did not think that the situation had developed in the way which the Minister expected when he made his original estimate.
"Further, in view of the fact that the British Transport Commission report states that during 1954 some £14m. was received from sales, should not Parliament be informed of what the loss is on that amount?" asked Mr. Davies.
The Minister replied that he had not yet had occasion to revise his estimate. It might be that Parliament should be told of the capital loss, but not in answer to Mr. Davies' question.
He refused to hold a comprehensive inquiry into the present position of road transport, which Mr. Woodburn requested.
Mr. Irving said that the disposal of B.R.S. units at Swanley and other depots was causing unemployment, which Mr. Bottomley added was likely to be permanent. Mr. Irving said that out of 40-50 vehicles sold, only two were to remain in the district, and that it would be impossible to absorb the displaced drivers locally. The break-up would cause the cessation of trunk services from Kent to Cheshire.
The Minister replied that he had no evidence of other than purely temporary unemployment. Compensation, he said, was payable in appropriate cases.