HC Deb 10 May 1939 vol 347 cc477-8
62. Mr. Benjamin Smith

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give the number of cases in which road transport operators have been convicted on more than one occasion for failing to keep in proper form the records of hours, journeys, loads, etc., required by Section 16 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933?

Captain Wallace

To obtain the information desired by the hon. Member would involve the examination of the records of some 230,000 road transport operators by the staffs of the Traffic Commissioners, who, in addition to their ordinary duties, have at present heavy additional responsibilities in connection with civil defence. I regret that in the circumstances I do not feel justified in asking for this research.

Mr. Smith

Is not that information already there, except for dissecting it, in the reports already issued by the Traffic Commissioners?

Captain Wallace

If the hon. Member will look at my answer again, he will see the amount of the dissection required.