Mr. F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Mr. W. Worby Beaumont, who acts as adviser to the Commissioner of Police in regard to the construction of licensed motor vehicles, is also consulting engineer to any omnibus company running licensed vehicles in the Metropolitan Police area; if so, the dates when he took up these respective positions; what are the duties he performs in regard to motor vehicles, and do these duties include the supervision of tramcar design; if Mr. Beaumont has expressed any opinion as to the advantages or disadvantages of tramways as a means of urban street transit; and, if so, whether this opinion was expressed in his capacity as adviser to the police or adviser to the omnibus companies?
§ Mr. McKENNAMr. Worby Beaumont has been adviser to the Commissioner of Police in regard to the construction of licensed motor vehicles since December, 1905. His duties, which are advisory only, do not include the supervision of tramcar or of omnibus or cab design; but he is consulted on technical engineering points affecting the construction of cabs and omnibuses, and occasionally of tramcars. I believe that Mr. Beaumont has for many years given public expression to his personal views as to the advantages or disadvantages of various means of street transit, but these are his personal views only, and he has not been asked to express any opinion in an official capacity. Mr. Beaumont at the time of his appointment as adviser to the Commissioner of Police was, I believe, already consulting engineer to all the motor omnibus companies then plying in London, and also to various tramway undertakings in London and elsewhere.
Mr. F. HALLMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman thinks it advisable in the interests of the travelling public that a gentleman who is a consulting officer of an omnibus company should be appointed as adviser to the Commissioner of Police?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe gentleman in question was consultant to an omnibus company, a tramway company and various companies, but, if you are to have an expert who is a master of his subject, it is inevitable that he should be a person employed by companies.
Mr. F. HALLWould it not be possible to have an altogether independent authority at the Police Office?
§ Mr. McKENNAYou could only have an independent authority, not employed by omnibus and tramway companies, if you had someone whom it was not considered expedient by the outside public to employ. He would not otherwise acquire his knowledge.