HC Deb 15 November 1944 vol 404 c1957
57. General Sir George Jeffreys

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will cause to be published a statement of the number of road casualties in each county or county borough area, giving particulars as to the number of these which were fatal and the numbers caused by service and civilian vehicles, respectively.

Mr. Noel-Baker

I am not convinced that the publication of statistics of road casualties in the form desired by my hon. and gallant Friend would be justified in present circumstances. I will arrange to place in the Library every month a copy of the statistics from which our monthly summary statements are compiled.

Sir G. Jeffreys

Is it not a fact that the road casualties are very serious and that they have been increasing? Could not some lessons be learnt by comparing the different districts and the number of casualties in them?

Mr. Noel-Baker

If we published the full figures they would not receive as much notice as the summarised statement that is actually issued, and it would require a great deal of work to bring them out.

Viscountess Astor

Would it be possible to publish the findings of the inquiry on road accidents carried out by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha) some time ago?

Mr. Noel-Baker

I do not recall the inquiry to which the Noble Lady refers but there was a paper published in 1937 on accident statistics.