The Queen Tells of B.T.C. Measures
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
THE Queen's Speech on Tuesday gave notice of forthcoming "proposals for reforming the structure and functions of the British Transport 'Commission." Whether this will be in the form of a Bill in this Session of Parliament is not yet decided by the Cabinet.
The careful choice of the word "proposals" could cover either a White Paper or a Bill.
There is evidence that the Government are still undecided on their course of action. They have been receiving advice from the Stedeford Committee, working within the terms of reference laid down by the Government, which pointed to the decentralization of the railways. But the Government cannot ignore the. recent report of the Select Committee of M.P.s on nationalized industries, which recommended that the railways should remain a single entity.
Since then Mr. Marples has appointed his own separate "study group" with himself as chairman. This May well be designed to achieve some kind of compromise between the two.
The Marples study group certainly means that there must be a delay in the original plan that followed the appointment of the Stedeford Committee—for a report followed by a Bill early in this Session. If the -Government is still unable to make up its mind by the time that Parliament enters its busy season, after the Budget, then it will content itself by issurng a White Paper outlining its aims. But the possibility of a Bill in
the second half of the Session—around, say, the early summer—cannot be ruled out.
A Bill dealing with road safety is also to he promoted
MR. E. P. FODEN TO HEAD E.R.F. I T was announced on Wednesday that Mr. E. P. Foden, youngest son of Mr. E. R. Foden, is to succeed Mr. Dennis Foden as managing director of E.R.F., Ltd. Mr. Dennis Foden's death was reported in The Commercial Motor, of October 14.
Mr. E. P. Foden joined E.R.F. after studying at North Staffordshire Technical College and, except for military service as a R.E.M.E. officer, has been associated with the company ever since.