\c& DOCUMENT IS THE P R O P E R T Y O F HIS BRITANNIC M A J E S T Y ^ G O V E R N M E N T )
CONFIDENTIAL
C.(51) -b4
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3RD D E C E M B E R , 1951
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CABINET
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COPY NO.
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S3'
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- - RAILV/AY F R E I G H T , DOCK A N D CANAL, CHARGES
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V
M e m o r a n d u m b y t h e M i n i s t e r of T r a n s p o r t
Under the T r a n s p o r t A c t the C o m m i s s i o n ^ c h a r g e s w i l l i n due
c o u r s e b e d e t e r m i n e d b y c h a r g e s s c h e m e s s e t t l e d by the T r a n s p o r t
Tribunal a f t e r , F u b l i c Inquiry. T h e p r e p a r a t i o n o f draft s c h e m e s b y the
C o m m i s s i o n and t h e i r s e t t l e m e n t b y the T r i b u n a l w i l l take a l o n g t i m e .
The Tribunal a r e j u s t f i n i s h i n g t h e i r i n q u i r y into a draft P a s s e n g e r
Charges S c h e m e s u b m i t t e d e a r l y t h i s y e a r . It w i l l , h o w e v e r , b e a
c o n s i d e r a b l e t i m e b e f o r e a draft F r e i g h t C h a r g e s S c h e m e can b e s u b ­
mitted t o and c o n f i r m e d by t h e T r i b u n a l . To m e e t the p o s i t i o n e x i s t i n g
in the i n t e r v a l b e f o r e a l l the s c h e m e s a r e in o p e r a t i o n , S e c t i o n 82 of the
Act e n a b l e s m e to m a k e R e g u l a t i o n s a u t h o r i s i n g the C o m m i s s i o n t o
i n c r e a s e t h e i r c h a r g e s , w h e r e in m y o p i n i o n t h i s i s e x p e d i e n t w i t h a. v i e w
to e n s u r i n g a s u f f i c i e n t r e v e n u e t o m e e t t h e i r o b l i g a t i o n s under the A c t .
2.
In t h e r e c e n t p r o c e e d i n g s b e f o r e the T r i b u n a l upon t h e draft
p a s s e n g e r C h a r g e s S c h e m e , the C o m m i s s i o n s u b m i t t e d e v i d e n c e t h a t : ­
(a) .'. with r a i l w a y p a s s e n g e r and f r e i g h t , and dock and c a n a l , c h a r g e s
at t h e i r p r e s e n t l e v e l , but a l l o w i n g for i n c r e a s e d r e v e n u e f r o m
other c h a r g e s not s u b j e c t t o the p r e s e n t c o n t r o l of the T r i b u n a l or
the M i n i s t e r , the C o m m i s s i o n w o u l d , i n 1952, incur a , d e f i c i t of
about £ 3 9 . 5 m i l l i o n s ;
(b)
(c)
t h i s p o s i t i o n i s due to a c t u a l and p r o s p e c t i v e i n c r e a s e s i n
w a g e r a t e s and the r i s i n g t r e n d of p r i c e s ;
the p r o p o s a l s a s to p a s s e n g e r c h a r g e s contained in t h e draft
s c h e m e w o u l d , if c o n f i r m e d , p r o d u c e i n a full y e a r a d d i t i o n a l
r e v e n u e o f about. £ 2 2 . 8 m i l l i o n s s t i l l l e a v i n g a d e f i c i t of about
. £16. 5 m i l l i o n s .
3.
In t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h e C o m m i s s i o n have a p p l i e d to m e under
the S e c t i o n f o r a u t h o r i t y t o i n c r e a s e , a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e , e x i s t i n g r a i l w a y
freight, dock and c a n a l , c h a r g e s b y 10 p e r cent s u b j e c t , g e n e r a l l y , t o a
m a x i m u m i n c r e a s e of 1 0 / - p e r t o n in the c a s e of r a i l w a y f r e i g h t c h a r g e s
and subject t o s p e c i a l i n c r e a s e s of about 20 p e r cent in the c h a r g e s for
s m a l l p a r c e l s by g o o d s t r a i n and 50 p e r cent i n the c h a r g e s for the
c a r r i a g e of r e t u r n e d e m p t i e s . T h e s e i n c r e a s e s would p r o d u c e about
£22 m i l l i o n s i n a future y e a r .
4,
A s r e q u i r e d b y the A c t , I r e f e r r e d the a p p l i c a t i o n for the a d v i c e
of the P e r m a n e n t M e m b e r s of the T r a n s p o r t T r i b u n a l , a c t i n g a s a
consultative C o m m i t t e e , , and a s k e d that s u c h a d v i c e s h o u l d b e t e n d e r e d
a s soon a s p o s s i b l e . A c o p y of t h e C o m m i t t e e ?s R e p o r t i s a n n e x e d .
5,
"The C o m m i t t e e f e l t s o m e difficulty in t e n d e r i n g t h e i r a d v i c e
before r e a c h i n g c o n c l u s i o n s on the e v i d e n c e s u b m i t t e d in c o n n e c t i o n
with the P a s s e n g e r C h a r g e s S c h e m e , but in v i e w of the u r g e n c y of
the m a t t e r t h e y d e c i d e d t o do s o without p u b l i c i n q u i r y . T h e y r e c o m m e n d
that I s h o u l d a u t h o r i s e a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e the i n c r e a s e s a p p l i e d for
except that t h e i n c r e a s e i n the c h a r g e s for s m a l l s and r e t u r n e d e m p t i e s
should, l i k e t h e i n c r e a s e i n other c h a r g e s , be 10 p e r cent. T h i s
m o d i f i c a t i o n would r e d u c e the e s t i m a t e d y i e l d f r o m £ 2 2 m i l l i o n s t o
£21 m i l l i o n s .
6.
Tt i s c l e a r t h a t t h e i n c r e a s e s , t o g e t h e r w i t h s u c h i n c r e a s e s
in p a s s e n g e r c h a r g e s a s m a y be a u t h o r i s e d under:the s c h e m e s e t t l e d
by the T r i b u n a l , w i l l do l i t t l e , if a n y t h i n g , m o r e than b a l a n c e the
C o m m i s s i o n s a c c o u n t in a full y e a r . A s the p a s s e n g e r f a r e i n c r e a s e s
cannot o p e r a t e f u l l y b e f o r e the end of A p r i l n e x t , t h i s b a l a n c e i s u n l i k e l y
to be a c h i e v e d i n 1 9 5 2 . M o r e o v e r n o p r o v i s i o n h a s b e e n m a d e f o r w i p i n g
off the a c c u m u l a t e d d e f i c i t , which w a s about £ 4 0 m i l l i o n s a t the end of
1950 and m a y w e l l b e £ 5 m i l l i o n s m o r e a t the e n d of 1951, o r for
establishing a g e n e r a l r e s e r v e as required by the Transport A c t .
7.
T o m e e t t h e p r e s e n t p o s i t i o n , t h e r e f o r e , I a m s a t i s f i e d that the
C o m m i t t e e ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s should be a c c e p t e d and I p r o p o s e to m a k e
r e g u l a t i o n s a c c o r d i n g l y t o take e f f e c t a s f r o m 31st D e c e m b e r , I s e e k
authority to a n n o u n c e t h i s in the H o u s e t h i s T h u r s d a y and t o c i r c u l a t e
at the s a m e t i m e i n the Official R e p o r t the t e r m s of the C o m m i t t e e ' s
advice.
3.
I h a v e d i s c u s s e d t h i s m a t t e r v/ith the S e c r e t a r y of State for
C o - o r d i n a t i o n of T r a n s p o r t , F u e l and P o w e r , w h o a g r e e s w i t h m y
proposal.
;/ -
Ministry of T r a n s p o r t ,
3RD D E C E M B E R , 1951.
W. 1.,
J.S.M.
'
;
ANNEX
.
. M e m o r a n d u m for t h e M i n i s t e r of T r a n s p o r t - b y t h e
. P e r m a n e n t M e m b e r s o f t?ie T r a n s p o r t T r i b u n a l
-
Acting as a Consultative Committee
1.
By a l e t t e r dated t h e 2 3 r d N o v e m b e r y o u r e q u e s t e d our a d v i c e o n
a p r o p o s a l m a d e b y the B r i t i s h T r a n s p o r t C o m m i s s i o n that t h e y should be
a u t h o r i s e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 82 of t h e T r a n s p o r t A c t , 1 9 4 7 ­
(a)
t o m a k e t h e i n c r e a s e s i n r a i l w a y f r e i g h t r a t e s and c h a r g e s
. d e s c r i b e d in t h e C o m m i s s i o n ^ m e m o r a n d u m in the m a n n e r
following
"PROPOSAL,:: ­
(1) A g e n e r a l i n c r e a s e of 10 p e r c e n t ( e x c e p t a s h e r e u n d e r
p r o v i d e d ) o n e x i s t i n g r a t e s and - c h a r g e s , i n c l u d i n g
m i s c e l l a n e o u s c h a r g e s , i n r e s p e c t to m e r c h a n d i s e t r a f f i c
b y g o o d s and p a s s e n g e r t r a i n s , s u b j e c t t o a m a x i m u m ,
i n c r e a s e of T O / . - p e r t o n in t h e c a s e of m e r c h a n d i s e b y
goods train and p e r i s h a b l e traffic by p a s s e n g e r train.
(2) A n i n c r e a s e of 50 p e r c e n t in the e x i s t i n g s c a l e of
a d d i t i o n a l c h a r g e s in r e s p e c t to s m a l l p a r c e l s (other
than r e t u r n e d e m p t i e s ) b y g o o d s t r a i n ( " s m a l l s " b o n u s ) .
T h i s i s e s t i m a t e d to be e q u i v a l e n t t o a n i n c r e a s e of
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 20 p e r c e n t o n t h i s c l a s s of t r a f f i c .
!
(3) A n i n c r e a s e of 50 p e r c e n t in t h e e x i s t i n g c h a r g e s for the
c a r r i a g e of r e t u r n e d e m p t i e s .
1 1
(b)
t o i n c r e a s e b y 10 p e r c e n t a l l the h a r b o u r , d o c k s , p i e r s , c a n a l s
and inland w a t e r w a y s c h a r g e s n o w in o p e r a t i o n w h i c h a r e
regulated by statutory provisions.
2,
In y o u r l e t t e r y o u i n f o r m e d u s t h a t you w e r e i m p r e s s e d with the
i m p o r t a n c e of t a k i n g t h e e a r l i e s t p r a c t i c a b l e s t e p s t o p r e v e n t the
financial
p o s i t i o n oc t h e C o m m i s s i o n f r o m b e c o m i n g u n m a n a g e a b l e and a s k e d that
our a d v i c e s h o u l d be t e n d e r e d a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e .
3.
If w e m a y b e p e r m i t t e d to s a y s o , the r e q u e s t f o r our a d v i c e a s a
m a t t e r of u r g e n c y h a s p l a c e d u s in s o m e d i f f i c u l t y .
4.
We a r e o n t h e point o f c o n c l u d i n g a public h e a r i n g into a
P a s s e n g e r C h a r g e s S c h e m e submitted by the C o m m i s s i o n .
V e shall
t h e r e f o r e i n the r e a s o n a b l y n e a r future h a v e in e f f e c t to d e c i d e what if a n )
additional c o n t r i b u t i o n c a n b e e x p e c t e d of p a s s e n g e r s in r e l i e f of t h e
e v i d e n t f i n a n c i a l n e c e s s i t i e s of t h e C o m m i s s i o n .
In t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s
w e do not think i t w o u l d b e r i g h t f o r u s t o e n t e r u p o n a n y d e t a i l e d d i s ­
c u s s i o n in t h i s m e m o r a n d u m of t h e e x t e n t of t h o s e n e c e s s i t i e s .
5.
A l l that we think it p r o p e r t o s a y a t t h i s j u n c t u r e i s that a s a ^ r e s u l t of t h e e x a m i n a t i o n of t h e f i n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n and p r o s p e c t s of t h e C o m m i s s i o n w h i c h t h e p u b l i c i n q u i r y h a s i n v o l v e d and of the a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n in the C o m m i s s i o n ^ m e m o r a n d u m we a r e s a t i s f i e d ­
.
(a)
that the g e n e r a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n s advanced b y the C o m m i s s i o n
are in substance w e l l founded;
(b)
that u p o n s u c h an e s t i m a t e a s i s p o s s i b l e in the c i r c u m s t a n c e s
of t h e m o m e n t the annual d e f i c i t of the C o m m i s s i o n at t h e o
. e x i s t i n g l e v e l s of f r e i g h t and p a s s e n g e r c h a r g e s would p r o v e
to b e not l e s s tl ian
m i l l i o n s and m i g h t w e l l be £40
millions:
(c)
that w h a t e v e r additional r e v e n u e it m a y be e q u i t a b l e and
p r a c t i c a b l e to o b t a i n f r o m the p a s s e n g e r s e r v i c e s c a n do no
m o r e than a l l e v i a t e the f i n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n of the C o m m i s s i o n :
(d)
that t h e r e i s at p r e s e n t no p r u d e n t a l t e r n a t i v e to an i n c r e a s e
i n f r e i g h t c h a r g e s a i m e d a t p r o v i d i n g in a full y e a r
a d d i t i o n a l r e v e n u e of the o r d e r of £ 2 0 m i l l i o n s :
(e)
that a g e n e r a l i n c r e a s e of 10 p e r c e n t on e x i s t i n g r a t e s and
c h a r g e s i s the b e s t a v a i l a b l e m e a n s of m e e t i n g the
Commission^ necessities,
6.
We a r e not s a t i s f i e d that t h e r e i s a n y s u f f i c i e n t j u s t i f i c a t i o n for
i m p o s i n g w h a t i s i n e f f e c t a s p e c i a l s u r c h a r g e on the s m a l l p a r c e l s and
returned e m p t i e s traffic.
7.
We r e c o m m e n d a c c o r d i n g l y that r e g u l a t i o n s be m a d e a s s o o n a s
p o s s i b l e a u t h o r i s i n g the C o m m i s s i o n to m a k e ­
(a)
the a d d i t i o n a l c h a r g e s d e s c r i b e d under h e a d (1) of the
v " P r o p o s a l s " s e t out in p a r a g r a p h 1(a) of t h i s m e m o r a n d u m ,
s u b j e c t to the d e l e t i o n in head (1) of the w o r d s "(except a s
hereunder provided)", and,
-(b)
the a d d i t i o n a l c h a r g e s s p e c i f i e d in p a r a g r a p h 1(b) of t h i s memorandum. (Signed)
-
HUBERT HULL
A . E . SEWELL
..J.C. P O C L E
3rd D e c e m b e r , 1 9 5 1 .
\