§ 14. Mr. PARKINSONasked the Minister of Transport the number of persons killed and injured in road accidents for the first nine months of the year, giving separate figures for the various classes of motor and horse-drawn vehicles, and comparable figures for the previous year?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe number of persons reported as having died as a result of road accidents which occurred daring the first nine months of 1933 was 5,243. As the weekly returns date only from the middle of March last, it is not possible to give exact figures for the first 182 nine months of this year. Taking the period as a whole, the number of fatal accidents appears to have been approximately the same as last year, but comparison for the last two months of the period shows an improvement. Statistics of persons injured in road accidents during 1933 are available only for the year as a whole, but it is estimated that during the first nine months of that year the number was approximately 164,100. For the corresponding period of this year the number of persons injured was approximately 176,200. The rate of increase over last year has been falling steadily during the last two months. The hon. Member will find particulars of the numbers of different classes of vehicles involved in road accidents in 1933 in the Home Office returns for that year. Similar particulars for this year will not be available until the annual returns have been received and tabulated.
§ Mr. LUNNMay I ask why the hon. Gentleman does not take more drastic powers for dealing with all those people who drive to the danger of the public?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe House did confer certain powers on me, and I have tried to use them to the full.
§ Mr. THORNEHas the hon. Gentleman any separate figures of the number of accidents that take place where a vehicle is passing from a main road into a by-road and vice versa?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHANo, Sir, not for the country as a whole.
§ Mr. PIKEAm I to understand that the schemes laid down for the passage of transport and foot passengers must be submitted to the hon. Gentleman before they are allowed to be proceeded with by the local authorities?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI do not quite understand the purport of the question. Parliament has conferred certain powers upon the Minister of Transport, and those powers are used. Other powers are in the hands of the local authorities.
§ 29. Mr. McENTEEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of persons killed and injured by motor-drawn vehicles in the Metropolitan Police District during the first six months of the year, giving separate figures for children?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)As the answer is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
| Numbers of persons killed and injured by mechanically propelled vehicles in road accidents recorded by the Metropolitan Police in the six months ended 30th June, 1934. | |||
| Age Groups. | Number of persons Killed. | Number of persons injured. | Total number of persons killed and injured. |
| Under5 | 21 | 599 | 620 |
| 5 and under 15 | 90 | 3,372 | 3,462 |
| 15 and over | 474 | 16,901 | 17,375 |
| Total | 585 | 20,872 | 21,457 |