49. Captain SHAWasked the Minister of Transport under what regulation a motor car owner is charged a fee of £5 for the retention of an index-mark when buying a new car?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHASection 6 of the Roads Act, 1920, provides that a licensing authority shall assign a separate index mark and number to every vehicle registered with them. It will be observed that the number is assigned to the vehicle and not to its owner. Licensing authorities, however, from time to time are permitted to accede to sentimental requests for the transfer of an identification number from one car to another in the same ownership on payment of a fee of £5. This accommodation to an owner's wishes is extra-statutory.
Captain SHAWDoes not my right hon. Friend think that this is an excessive charge, as it is most inconvenient to change the number, because people are apt to forget it, especially at certain hours of the day?