CONCESSIONARY FARES BILL SOON: MR. POWELL IS NEW SHADOW MINISTER
Page 52
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT UNDERSTAND that a Bill will be I brought forward almost immediately Parliament starts business next week to clear up the anomalous position regarding concessionary bus fares. There have been complaints about these for several years, and the Labour Party has given repeated pledges; its chief advocate has been Mr. Edward Short, now Government Chief Whip.
Another Bill which the new Government is likely to push through quickly is for the registration of travel agents.
It is believed that the first meeting between Transport Minister Tom Fraser and the Railway Board's chairman, Dr. Beeching, last week passed off well, and a measure of agreement in principle was reached about integrating the rail system with road haulage. Although the closure " freeze " has not been officially applied, it is believed that Dr. Be,eching will now be looking again at his plan from the positive angle of integration. Far from
being upset at Labour's intentions, he is understood to be ready to put his considerable talents behind the idea with the object of boosting the railways' status in the haulage plan.
Mr. Enoch Powell, Conservative M.P. for South West Wolverhampton, has jumped back into the front rank of the Tory Party as Shadow Transport Minister. Former Health Minister, Mr. Powell, who is 52, parted company with the last Government when Sir Alec Douglas Home became Prime Minister. Now he is back in the fold, and his eagerness and debating ability will fit him well for the tests ahead.
Mr. Marples, the former Transport Minister, has been given the job of Shadow Minister of Technology. This will bring him up against Mr. Frank Cousins, who is Minister for Technology, and they too should have some interesting personal battles ahead.