§ 16. Mr. GUYasked the Minister of Transport the total number of inquiries he directed to be made into motor accidents under Section 23 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, during the year 1933; and how many of those inquiries were held in public?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Oliver Stanley)Under Section 23 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, I directed special inquiries to be made into four road accidents during 1933. In one of these cases the inquiry was held in public. In addition, less formal investigations were made by my officers into a substantial number of accidents in which defects of vehicles or of the road were alleged.
§ Mr. GUYDoes not the Minister agree that the holding of public inquiries into suitable motor accidents would serve a very useful purpose in focussing public attention on the causes of certain motor accidents?
§ Mr. STANLEYMy hon. Friend will realise that a public inquiry is held by the coroner into every case of fatal accident.
§ 21. Colonel GOODMAN (for Mrs. TATE)asked the Minister of Transport what evidence as to the causes of road accidents he obtained from insurance companies before introducing the present Road Traffic Bill?
§ Mr. STANLEYAt a conference I held with representatives of the insurance companies I took the opportunity of inquiring whether they were in a position to furnish information as to the causes of road accidents, and was informed that their experience did not enable them to 1075 add anything to the information already contained in the Preliminary Report on Fatal Road Accidents which occurred during the six months ended 30th June, 1933.