§ 53. Sir A. M. SAMUELasked the Minister of Transport the number of inquiries held by his Department under the powers conferred upon him by Section 23 of the 1930 Traffic Act, and Section 12 of the 1924 Act, in respect of the 309 fatal road accidents in the Metropolitan Police area and the City of London, recorded during the three months ended 30th September last?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of TRANSPORT (Lieut.-Colonel Headlam)Eight of these accidents were reported to the Ministry in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 of the London Traffic Act, 1924, and inquiries were made into four of them.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELHow does the hon. Gentleman expect to reduce the number of fatal road accidents unless his Department looks into the causes of them, and is he not aware that a very grave responsibility rests upon his Department for not carrying out the relative provisions of the Act?
§ Lieut. - Colonel HEADLAMOnly accidents alleged to be due to defects in vehicles and roads are reported under this section of the Act. That is why they are such a small proportion of the total number reported.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELBut is it not a fact that all fatal accidents on the roads have to be investigated under Section 23 of the Traffic Act just as fatal accidents in mines or railways or elsewhere would be dealt with?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThere is no object in duplicating inquiries into accidents except as the Act directs and that is what is done.