§ 23. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Transport what action he is taking to ensure that where the name of a firm of road hauliers has changed by reason of the death of a member of the firm, such a firm does not lose the original permit to which it would otherwise have been entitled.
§ Mr. BarnesI have no power to vary the provisions of the Transport Act on this point, but I understand that the Road Haulage Executive have stated that, while they are bound by the Act, they will, without entering into any commitment, be prepared to look at cases of hardship and decide whether there is any way in which the hardship can properly be alleviated.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIs not this obvious error in the Transport Act, which the right hon. Gentleman himself apparently regrets, yet another indication of how undesirable it is to push these Measures through under the Guillotine, without any discussion?
§ Mr. BarnesI am not aware that I have expressed any regret. Licences have never been transferable, but I think that in the circumstances the Road Executive are taking what I think would be the general course.
§ Mr. RentonDoes the intention to allow special consideration to be given to hardship mean that the original rights will not be lost when hardship is proved and that there will be no question, if hardship is proved, of merely giving a discretion to the Commission?
§ Mr. BarnesI would not like to go into details of that kind.