§ 1. Captain Sir William Brassasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking to satisfy himself that petrol is not wasted by the Metropolitan police in trailing vehicles over straight roads in order to obtain convictions for exceeding the statutory speed limits in war time; and whether he has instituted any quota regulations to be applied to police motorcars on this kind of duty.
§ The Minister of Fuel and Power (Major Lloyd George)The petrol allocation of the Metropolitan Police Force is settled in relation to its duties as a whole, and the course suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend seems to me impracticable and undesirable.
§ Sir W. BrassIf the Minister has no power over the actual amount used for this purpose, will he make representations to the Chief Commissioner of Police to impress on his officers the need for saving fuel in war-time and not using fuel by trailing cars on open spaces such as Mitcham Common and Regent's Park?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI am ready at all times to ask anybody to save petrol, but the second part of the hon. and gallant Member's question is outside my province.
§ Sir W. BrassDo I understand that the Minister agrees that trailing cars on open spaces like Mitcham Common and Regent's Park is a waste of petrol in wartime?