Catalogue description Ministry of Transport, Rates Advisory Committee

The Rates Advisory Committee was established on 27 October 1919 under the Ministry of Transport Act 1919, s.21, to give advice and assistance to the Minister of Transport with respect to, and for safeguarding, any interest affected by any directions as to rates, fares, toll, dues and other charges or special services of transport undertakings.

The Committee comprised a chairman, who was a lawyer nominated by the Lord Chancellor, two representatives of trading and agricultural interests nominated by the Board of Trade after consulting chambers of commerce and agriculture, one representative of transport interests nominated by the Minister of Transport, and one representative of Labour interests nominated by the Minister of Labour after consulting the Parliamentary Committee of Trades Union Congress. An additional member could be appointed, when required, at the discretion of the Minister of Transport. After 1921 the President and the two members of the Railway Rates Tribunal formed the nucleus of the Rates Advisory Committee.

In its early years, the Committee undertook interim and general reviews of railway rates and charges in addition to a number of short-term enquiries into ways of increasing railway revenue and its reports were published as Command Papers.

The Committee's main duties came to an end in 1921 when the Railways Act of that year freed the railways from government control imposed during the First World War and established the Railway Rates Tribunal as a Permanent court to determine standard charges for the amalgamated railway companies.

The Rates Advisory Committee reconstituted virtually as a sub-committee of the new Tribunal, continued to discharge subsidiary functions, including the classification of merchandise for the purposes of Part III of the Railways Act 1921 and advising the Minister on applications for increased charges under the Harbours, Docks and Piers (Temporary Increase of Charges) Act, 1920-1922.

The Railways Act 1921 provided for the continuance of the Committee as long as it was required for these purposes. The Committee had similar duties in respect of temporary charges under the London Electric Railways (Fares, etc.) Act 1920, the Canals (Continuance of Charging Powers) Act 1922 and various private Acts. A Sub-Committee established on 1 October 1920 dealt with harbour, dock and pier charges.