§ 60. Sir Smedley Crookeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the anxiety felt by the London cab trade caused by the large number of motor cars now taking passengers in London which are not licensed as taximeter-cabs, and are under no control of any authority or restraint of any regulations for public passenger-carrying vehicles, which are equipped with taximeters fitted in concealed positions, the charges being considerably less than the statutory fares which drivers of taximeter-cabs are compelled to charge; and whether, as this competition is unfair to the licensed drivers of taximeter-cabs, many of whom are ex-service men who have been trained under the British Legion taximeter-cab school scheme, he will take steps to stop this unfair competition?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd)I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave last Thursday on this subject to questions by the hon. Members for Rotherhithe (Mr. Benjamin Smith) and South Islington (Mr. Cluse).