§ 35. Mr. GLOSSOPasked the Minister of Transport why details of the number of licences granted to railway companies under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, are not kept, in view of the fact that similar information is available in respect of licences granted to road haulage contractors?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is that the licensing authorities have been charged by Parliament with the duty of relating the number of goods vehicles on the roads to the requirements of the public, and no analysis is made or required of the ownership of the vehicles. The answer to the second part of the question is that the figures which I gave my hon. Friend on 17th July did in fact include licences granted to railway companies, and the number of vehicles operated under those licences.