§ 56. Captain Stricklandasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why, in the case of road transport vehicles requisitioned by the State on and after the 8th day of a month, only one-half of the licence duty already paid by the operator is refunded and if requisitioned after the 22nd day no refund is allowed for that month; and whether, seeing that the road operator is deprived of the use of a vehicle 165 for a period for which he has paid a licence, he will refund the full proportion of the duty?
§ Captain CrookshankThe road operator has no statutory right to any refund unless his licence has been surrendered to the licensing authority on or before the first day of the month, but, as I announced in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member last Wednesday, the Government have agreed to make generous concessions in the circumstances in question. To refund the exact proportion of the unexpired licence would involve the licensing authorities in considerable labour and is hardly practicable.
§ Captain StricklandIs the Financial Secretary aware that the licence is paid for the use of a vehicle in this country? If through unforeseen circumstances the licensee is deprived of the use of that vehicle, and the Government require it, and the tax is a Government tax, why cannot the Government stand the loss instead of the private individual?
§ Captain CrookshankThat is true up to a point; but it is also a fact that road operators who surrender their licence before the 7th of any month, or between the middle of the month and the 22nd, have the use of their vehicle for several days without charge.