§ 58. Mr. LESLIE BOYCEasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that four and a-half months have now elapsed since he received the Salter Report, and seven weeks since the extended time limit given to highway authorities and other interests concerned to make their observations thereon expired, he is now in a position to give the House an undertaking that a Bill will be introduced without delay to implement the recommendations of the Salter Conference?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMAs regards the first part of The report, I cannot add anything to the statement which my hon. Friend made on the 30th November to the effect that questions of taxation are a Budget matter, and that it is not possible to anticipate the Budget decision. The proposals for a scheme of licensing goods vehicles outlined in the second part 750 of the report necessarily raise many difficult issues. They have also been the subject of detailed representations on the part of a large number of bodies and interests concerned, which I am now engaged in examining. The Government will lose no avoidable time in arriving at their decision in the matter.
§ Mr. BOYCEIn view of the vital national importance and the increasing urgency of this matter, cannot the Minister give the House more assurance than he has done that a Measure will be introduced early in the New Year to deal with the subject?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI can understand my hon. Friend's anxiety in reference to this matter, but he and the whole House will realise that there are many important problems in connection with it, and I do not think the Government will be doing what is right and proper for the whole country unless they take ample time to consider all these various issues. I can only assure my hon. Friend that we are doing all that is possible.
§ Mr. BOYCEIn view of the indefinite nature of the reply, I will raise the matter on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House at an early date.