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148 
AS THE political scholars of Westminster trooped for their half-term
Page 7
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'hols' no duo could have been better pleased with their half-term report from their house mistress than the head and deputy head transport boys.
Norman Fowler and Ken Clarke have had an above average half term. Not for them the master's notation 'could do better' or 'must try harder'.
This spring is the end of their first year together and they would be correct in thinking that it has been a year marked with success.
Poor Albert Booth, the Shadow Minister has had little chance to show his undoubted mettle. There has been little he could build an opposition case on, not that such a minor consideration would have stopped some of his more erudite colleagues. So full marks to him also for not wasting Parliamentary time.
But Messrs Fowler and Clarke have not been inactive. Tachographs bequeathed to them by Bill Rodgers were their first hot potato. The Foster Report fell into their lap. They got their Transport Bill cracking along, the emancipation of both NFC and the private bus and coach industry are now in play.
-Perhaps this is where Albert Booth will get his big chance, because it is widely accepted that neither the state bus group nor the coaching establishment, the CPT, are much taken with the idea of free competition. So the opposition spokesman might just raise a musket in their cause. .
The Lords have already made a few inroads to the Bill, which are unlikely to meet with any cries of anguish when they get them back in the Commons.
Nevertheless their Lordships should be commended for their active interest in the subject. The Lords Belwin, Underhill and Teviot were particularly active. What with Lord Lucas of Chilworth becoming President of loTA and Lord lronside carrying the standard for the Electric Vehicle Association transport has a considerable voice upstairs.
One area where the Minister could run into trouble is ir-) the plan to direct traffic from road to rail. The suggestion that football hooligans should be carted direct to Wembley Stadium is surely curious. Might Norman Fowler not be better advised to direct them into the arms of Willie Whitelaw en route for one of his short sharp correction centres?