HC Deb 16 February 1938 vol 331 c1891
80. Mr. R. Gibson

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has considered the difficulties and dangers arising from the fact that, where a lending company has advanced money for the purchase of a motor vehicle, and is the true owner of the vehicle, only the name of the nominal owner appears in the relative registration book as the owner, so that a bona fide purchaser from the nominal owner is liable to be compelled to surrender the vehicle to the lending company; and whether he will consider making compulsory the disclosure of the name of such lending company as owners in the registration book?

Mr. Burgin

This question has been considered on numerous occasions since the institution of the present system of licensing under the Roads Act, 1920. The registration book does not purport to be a document of title, but is part of the machinery for collection of the licence duty payable under Section 13 (2) of the Finance Act, 1920, by the person keeping the vehicle.

Mr. Gibson

Is that the only purpose of the registration?