§ 68. Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the demand made in Form L.T.4 upon omnibus proprietors for a return of the number of tickets issued during each month, thereby disclosing each proprietor's drawings, is unprecedented and beyond the demands of the Income Tax Commissioners upon any business, he will withdraw the said form; and what guarantee can he give that the data obtained by this form, if persisted in, will not leak out to competing lines of omnibuses?
§ Colonel ASHLEYAs I stated to my hon. and learned Friend on the 24th of last month, the particulars to which he refers are required so that the volume of traffic on each route in relation to the number of omnibuses engaged may be ascertained. I do not consider that the requirements of this return are unreasonable or that the fears which he expresses are well grounded.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think that it is a monstrous thing for a. Government Department to ask a man to give these particulars, which is more than is asked by the Commissioners of Income Tax; and is he aware that it is regarded with the deepest suspicion and dislike by all the independent omnibus owners, who are of opinion that this inquiry from the Ministry of Transport will injure them and ultimately benefit the monopoly combine?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThis return was agreed between the representatives of the London General Omnibus Company and the independent omnibus proprietors. They both agreed that this was the most reasonable form in which the information could be obtained.