HC Deb 20 January 1937 vol 319 cc176-8
11. Mr. H. G. Williams

asked the Minister of Transport the number of tramcars, trolley vehicles, and motor omnibuses, respectively, put into service during each of the last 10 calendar years?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the information:

was a condition of the gift that part of the money should be devoted towards propaganda impressing upon motorists their special responsibility for the safety of children on the roads?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

Under Section 115 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, it is proposed, conditionally on £25,000 being raised from other sources by 31st December next, to hand £5,000 to the following trustees:

  • Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen,
  • Sir Lynden Macassey,
  • and Mr. Gordon Stewart.
A committee on which the Board of Education, the Scottish Education Department and my own Department are represented will recommend the directions of expenditure, which shall be for the purpose of cultivating in school children, by means of films, broadcasting vans and other agencies, a knowledge of how to use the roads properly, and impressing on other road users their responsibilities towards children.

Mr. Sorensen

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in fact, this contribution was not made in the first place to an individual, and, if that be so, is he not aware that the Safety First Association has had no contribution from the Government; whether there is any service that this individual can render that could not equally be rendered by the Safety First Association; and, further, whether this is to be taken as a precedent in other grants to individuals, and if so, whether he would make me a grant if I organised pedestrians?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

The answer is that the gentleman in question happens to be chairman of the Safety First Association.

Mr. Sorensen

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in fact, the grant was not made to him in that capacity, but as an individual?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

I answered the question and I named the trustees, of which he is one. I was empowered to make this grant, and indeed encouraged to do so, by the specific declaration of Parliament in the Section of the Road Traffic Act which I have quoted.

Mr. Sorensen

May I take it that, in fact, this grant was made to an individual, not in his capacity as president of the association, but purely as an individual, and if that be so, does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this is a very dangerous precedent to follow?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

No, Sir. If it had been, it would not have been within the terms of the 1930 Act, Section 115; but it was, in fact, made to the trustees, and in the sense that the trustees are individuals, it was made to individuals.

Mr. H. G. Williams

Is it not the case that the society to which the grant was made consists of people who are also putting up a great deal of their own money for this very praiseworthy purpose?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

Yes, Sir, that is so; and the £25,000 has been subscribed.