13. Mr. PALMERasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the statement made in evidence in a recent case that the chaffeur of a Government motor car, who ran into a woman, had been driving him shortly before the accident; and can he say whether the pledge of the Government that, in the interests of economy, no Minister should continue to use motor cars at the taxpayers' expense has been carried out so far as his Department is concerned?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLA certain number of motor cars are allocated to the War Office, and the Secretary of State is entitled to the use of one of these cars when he requires it for official purposes.
§ The strength of troops in Mesopotamia and North-west Persia, respectively, on the dates specified are as follows:—
Mr. PALMERDid we not understand from the Leader of the House that Ministers were not to use motor cars which were employed at the expense of the State and the taxpayer?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, Sir. No Minister was to have a motor car allocated to him, but a Minister who had to do public duty at any time was entitled to use a conveyance.
Mr. PALMERTherefore you abrogate the new rule, because a Minister can use a motor car whenever he chooses, and that might be all the time.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo. That would not be in accordance either with the spirit or with the letter of the arrangement.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINHow many cars are in the pool?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI could answer that if the question were put down. The number is not very large. War Office officials have to go on different journeys near London, and often a whole day would be lost if no conveyance were available.
Mr. PALMERIs it not a fact that these conveyances were not available before the War, and are we not now at peace?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLTo my mind it is a delusion to suggest that the cause of economy would be served by denying Government Departments the reasonable use of facilities for rapid communication, such as are provided by the motor car and the telephone.
§ Colonel PENRY WILLIAMSCould not War Office officials hire cars, or use taxis, instead of keeping cars doing nothing?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI do not think the cars are kept doing nothing. Very few cars are kept, and they are used only for official purposes. On these occasions we use them only for strictly official purposes. I am of opinion that a certain number of cars attached to a Department are necessitated by modern conditions. It is quite true that there were no cars allocated to Departments before the War, but there were then hardly any motor cars.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe whole development of the motor car is quite a recent one. You might as well say that telephones were not installed in Departments before a certain date.
Lieut.-Colonel J. WARDDoes the right hon. Gentleman not see that it is not so much the use of the cars as the Minister who uses them?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI do not know.