§ 6. Mr. B. SMITHasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can inform the House of his intentions with regard to the Report of the Departmental Committee which inquired into the conditions of licensing taximeter cabs?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir William Joynson-Hicks)I must apologise to the House for the length of this answer. I have given very careful consideration to this Report and have consulted the Minister of Transport and the Commissioner of Police thereon. I have decided to give effect to the Report so far as it relates to the display of advertisements inside taxis and to a reduction in the height of the chassis, but not in regard to the turning radius, as I am satisfied 1319 —and on this point my advisers entirely agree—that in the present condition of London traffic any alteration in this direction would be a cause of further congestion. I have further arranged with the Commissioner of Police for the examination test for taxi drivers to be made less severe, as, owing to the growth of London, full topographical knowledge of the whole of the outskirts is almost impossible.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWith regard to the advertisements inside the taxicabs, will regulations be laid down as to the type of advertisement, and where they are to be put, and so forth?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSYes, Sir; certainly.
§ Mr. SMITHHas the right hon. Gentleman considered that the reduction of the 10-inch clearance to a 7-inch clearance, in the case of taxi-cabs, would entail, in the event of an accident, an increase in the liability to serious injury of anybody who happened to be knocked down?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI have gone carefully into that matter, and the Committee and my own technical advisers agree that it will not materially, or in effect at all, increase the liability to accident.
§ Mr. SMITHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a few years ago taxi-cabs were actually plying with 7-inch clearances, and they were put out of commission by order of the Commissioner of Police That was a grievance at the time, and does he not think that putting it back to 7 inches multiplies the grievance?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. Member can take it that we are not putting it back in regard to existing cabs. We are allowing the alteration to be made in future cabs.
§ Mr. SMITHWith regard to the easing-off of the examination on topographical knowledge, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that any loss of efficiency in this respect by the London cab-driver, who, by virtue of his trade, has to know London and its environs very well, is likely to cause serious difficulties between the driver and his fare; and does the 1320 right hon. Gentleman not consider that a knowledge of the present wide area of London is essential; and will he reconsider the position from that point of view?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo, I think not. The Committee and myself have gone into these matters very carefully. I propose to insist on the topographical knowledge of the inner area of London being as good as before, but to ask a man who lives, say, at Peckham, to have a full knowledge of the streets which are being built in and around Finchley and Barnet is really impossible, and not quite fair. Therefore, while we must have an examination as to general knowledge of the outskirts, I think it is not quite fair nowadays to insist on the same knowledge of all the outskirts as before.
§ 9. Mr. DAYasked the Home Secretary the number of taximeters showing the revised fares that have now been approved by the Metropolitan Police authorities and fitted to taximeter cabs in the London area?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe number on the 26th instant was 2,734.
§ Mr. DAYCan the right hon. Gentleman state when the total number will be completed under the new Regulations?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo. I have answered the hon. Gentleman's question.