§ MR. S. COLLINS (Lambeth, Kennington)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a recent speech of the Mayor of West Ham, in which he stated that every day in the main roads of that district there was an average of twenty-two disabled motor omnibuses; and whether, as similar breakdowns are constantly occurring in other parts of the metropolis, he will demand that greater care be exercised in the licensing of these vehicles so as to prevent the dislocation of traffic and the inconvenience of the public.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have not seen the speech referred to. Perhaps the figure quoted includes cases where the driver gets down to make temporary adjustment. The police have no knowledge of so many omnibuses breaking down, and if these vehicles had been disabled on the scale indicated, it must have come under their notice. Great care is taken in licensing motor omnibuses; but in working them the strain on the machinery is very great, and it is inevitable that a certain number, however good when licensed, should get out of order from time to time.
§ EARL WINTERTON (Sussex Horsham)When a motor bus breaks down, do the police take note of it?
§ MR. GLADSTONEYes, Sir.