3. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Trade what method is adopted by the Petrol Control Committee for the purpose of ascertaining the necessary requirements of persons to whom petrol licences are granted; and whether he is aware of the number of cases in which licences are held by persons who do not now use their own cars, thus creating opportunities for an abuse of the petrol regulations?
Mr. ROBERTSApplicants for petrol licences are required to fill in a form 1582 of application giving particulars of the motor vehicle used, the purposes for which it is used, the amount of petrol in stock, and the quantity required per month. I am not aware of the number of cases in which licences are held by persons who do not now use their own cars, but it is not the practice of the Petrol Control Department to grant licences to those to whom cars have been transferred unless the licences of the original holders have been surrendered.
§ 4. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the petrol consumed by the Army abroad is first imported to this country or sent direct to France and the other fronts?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)Almost the whole of the petrol consumed by the Armies abroad is shipped direct and does not come to this country at all.
30. Mr. C. WASONasked the Home Secretary how many able-bodied men are employed by the Metropolitan police to trap motorists, in view of the fact that the Petrol Committee refuse to grant petrol to persons whose cars are not used for war work?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir G. Cave)No members of the Force are exclusively allocated to enforcing the provisions of the Motor Car Act; qualified men are employed on this duty from time to time as the necessity arises.