HC Deb 04 May 1905 vol 145 cc925-6
CAPTAIN DONELAN

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will grant a Return showing the number and nature of the casualties caused by motor-cars in Great Britain and Ireland from 1st May, 1904, to 30th April, 1905.

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I cannot promise to give this Return. As I have explained to the hon. and gallant Member, I can only obtain these figures for the Metropolitan Police District. In that district most, if not all, serious motor-car accidents come to the notice of the police. In the areas of provincial forces many very likely do not, and even if the police keep records of such accidents, those records would probably be incomplete. But I am willing to make inquiry as to whether records of accidents are kept by provincial forces, and whether, if so, they are likely to be sufficiently accurate to make them worth obtaining. It will also be necessary to inquire whether the figures could be furnished by the Scottish and Irish Offices. I am very anxious to give all the information possible, and I have no desire whatever to keep back information.

MR. SCOTT-MONTAGU

Will the right hon. Gentleman incorporate in those figures the number of accidents arising from horse-drawn vehicles?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

No, I do not think that is relevant.