asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now in a position to state an approximate date when the electrification of the London and North Eastern Railway Company's line to Barnet, and its linking up with the tube system, will be completed?

The company expect that electrified services will be running between High Barnet and the City via the High-gate Tube by the summer of 1939, and hope that such services may be running between East Finchley and the West End: and City respectively some months earlier. They also expect that electrified services will be in operation between High Barnet and Finsbury Park early in 1940.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will arrange with the Southern Railway Company that no extension of electrification will take place in rural areas before the undertaking they have given him as to fencing and protection has been implemented?

The Southern Railway Company inform me that their programme of works for 1938 provides for the erection of over 50 miles of the improved types of fencing. This covers all places where trespassing has been reported as being prevalent or likely to occur, both in the areas already electrified and those in process of being electrified.

Will my right hon. Friend suggest to the Southern Railway that they should notify people when they are proposing to electrify a line, and might I recall the accident which happened last Monday owing to the fact that no one in the neighbourhood knew that the line was electrified?

Yes, I will consider that suggestion.