HC Deb 29 January 1941 vol 368 cc547-9
30. Brigadier-General Clifton Brown

asked the Minister of Transport what was the percentage of road accidents in December in which military vehicles were involved; and whether the regulations for obscuring lights on cars applies to Army vehicles as well as to civilians?

Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon

As regards the first part of this Question I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Faversham (Sir A. Maitland) and West Lewisham (Mr. Brooke) on 22nd January. As regards the second part, a full statement was made on 17th December, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Touche), by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the War Office.

Brigadier-General Brown

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend satisfied that the military are driving carefully, and that no extra danger is caused by their vehicles?

Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon

I promised my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Sir A. Maitland) that I would go into this in an attempt to find out something about the rates of accidents as between the military and civilians. One set of figures has been sent to me from London. That, of course, is not the whole problem. I must relate these figures to the proportion of military traffic to civilian traffic, and I have not yet got figures in regard to that.

Sir P. Harris

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend make clear to the War Office that military drivers must conform to the ordinary rules of the road and to the speed limit? There is an idea amongst Army drivers that they are privileged persons.

Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon

I think the War Office have done their best to give instructions to drivers to the effect that they are not privileged persons.

Sir Francis Fremantle

Has my right hon. Friend seen the statement of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in to-day's "Times" that they are collecting the facts and hope soon to give the appropriate figures on this subject; and will his department collaborate with the Society to insure a correct statement?

Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon

I have seen the letter to which my hon. Friend refers.