HC Deb 05 December 1928 vol 223 cc1201-2
25. Mr. WELLOCK

asked the Minister of Labour if he has any information as to the hours that are being worked by omnibus drivers in various parts of the country; and, if not, whether he will make inquiries?

Sir A. STEEL - MAITLAND

The normal hours of labour of the great majority of omnibus drivers are 48 per week. In some cases longer hours are worked.

Mr. WELLOCK

May I ask whether is not the case that in some parts of the country outrageous hours are being worked by some omnibus drivers to the great danger of the general public. Cannot some inquiry be made into this important question?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I have given the hon. Member the information in my possession. If there is any danger to the public, I imagine that the hon. Member ought to put a question to the Home Secretary.

Mr. MACKINDER

Will the right hon. Gentleman allow some of his inspectors to travel on some of these omnibuses and ask some of these drivers how many hours they work? He will find that they are greatly in excess of 48 hours per week.

Mr. MARCH

Will the right hon. Gentleman inquire of the omnibus companies whether the men belong to a trade union. If they do, he will find that they work 48 hours a week.

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

If the hon. Member can supply me with any information, I shall be glad of it.

Mr. SKELTON

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, as Minister of Labour, he has not made inquiries on his own account into this subject?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

Yes. Many of us work more than 48 hours a week.

Mr. LUMLEY

Has the right hon. Gentleman any legal power to limit the number of hours or the distances run by the drivers of long distance heavy motor vehicles?

Mr. SPEAKER

That question does not arise.

62. Mr. WELLOCK

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider the possibility of arranging that a record be kept, in the case of all motor accidents; of the number of hours the drivers concerned had been on duty at the time of the accident?

The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)

I have no power to make any arrangement of the nature suggested by the hon. Member.

Mr. WELLOCK

Will the right hon. Gentleman say how these men are to have protection? Is he aware that there are many provincial companies which intermittently are keeping men on for 12 to 15 hours a day, and how is it proposed that these men and the public should get protection?

Colonel ASHLEY

I can only repeat that I have no power to do anything of the sort.

Mr. WELLOCK

Who has power?