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Lords Amendment: In page 2, line 11, at the end, insert:
(3) When a goods vehicle is being used on a road for the carriage of goods, the driver of the vehicle, if it belongs to him or is in his possession under an agreement for hire, hire purchase or loan, and in any other case the person whose agent or servant the driver is, shall, for the purposes of this Part of this Act, be deemed to be the person by whom the vehicle is being used.
(4) Where at any time goods are carried in a goods vehicle being a vehicle which has been let on hire by the person who at the time of the carriage of the goods is within the meaning of this Part of this Act the user of the vehicle, the goods shall be deemed to be carried by that person for hire or reward.
Mr. STANLEYI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
This Amendment is designed to make quite clear upon whom the responsibility 1155 will lie for the observance of the conditions under the Bill. It defines the user of the vehicle. It is provided that the driver, if he is the owner of the vehicle, shall be deemed to be the user, otherwise it shall be the person who employs the driver. Hon. Members will realise that it is important that there should be no ambiguity, and that it should be impossible for anyone to escape from the responsibility.
§ Question, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment," put, and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendments to page 2, line 33, agreed to.
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Lords Amendment: In page 3, line 37, at the end insert:
("(f) to the use of a vehicle for the purposes of funerals").
§ 3.52 p.m.
Mr. STANLEYI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
Hon. Members will recollect that during the passage of the Bill through this House there was considerable controversy as to the position of funeral vehicles. The general sentiment of the House was in favour of their exclusion, but at the time there was considerable difference of opinion in the undertaking profession itself. Since then, a referendum has been taken of the members of the association, and although there is still a substantial minority against exclusion, there is a large majority in favour of it, and in those circumstances I carry out the pledge that I gave at an earlier stage.
§ Question, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment," put, and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendments, to page 5, line 1, agreed to.