Transport Minister Faces Trouble at Blackpool
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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
TOM FRASER, the Minister of Transport, is likely to come under tire vhen transport is debated at the Labour Party conference at Blackpool next . There are 17 resolutions on the subject on the agenda, many of them critical
e Government's measures in this field since they were elected.
e resolution from a constituency party deplores the failure" of the Labour rnment to redeem its election promises to halt all railway closures pending the at of all forms of transport. This failure had caused " dismay " to many regular of rail transport, both passenger and freight. One of the bigger guns, the inal Union of Railwaymen. is "disturbed" at the lack of progress in the alation of a national transport policy. And the Scottish Commercial Motormen's n has an amendment which "condemns and rejects" the proposals of the Gcddcs nittee to abolish road haulage licensing controls. and calls on the Government :ept the view that the nation cannot afford an unregulated. unco-ordinated road 'ail transport system.
the passenger side there is a simple resolution from South West Her!hire which considers that the present : passenger transport services are quatc and that radical changes d take place. It goes on: "Con
further considers that the ngcr services should be treated as tlic service and that finances should und by the Exchequer and all fares ;hed.
it particular resolution stands little
e of being called, let alone passed. :t, until the delegates reach Blackand discuss their resolutions it is isible to say just what proposals
will be put before the conference. The most likely outcome is one composite resolution, incorporating the major points put forward by the big unions, such as the TGWU, NUR, TSSA and ASLEF.
Since Mr. Fraser is not a member of the Labour Party executive he has no automatic right to reply to the debate. But if they consider it desirable, the executive could ask him to speak from the platform. This was the procedure adopted during the last Labour Government when neither the Foreign Secretary. Mr. Ernest Bevin, nor the Chancellor. Sir Stafford Cripps. was a member of the executive.