§ 3. Mr. Toucheasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what purpose is served by requiring members of the Metropolitan Police to ask drivers who are reported for parking offences to produce their national registration card in addition to their driving licence and certificate of insurance; and if he will take steps to terminate this practice
§ Mr. EdeReference to national registration cards in these cases serves as a check on the accurancy of police records and, in particular, minimises any risk of a confusion of names leading to previous convictions being attributed to the wrong person. Complaints against the practice have been few and it is not at present proposed to discontinue it.
§ Mr. ButcherCould the right hon. Gentleman explain how the police managed to deal satisfactorily with these offences before national registration was introduced?
§ Mr. EdeAs a serving magistrate I know that before that time the difficulty to which I have alluded arose occasionally.
§ Mr. MarloweIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, as there is widespread forgery of these cards, they are of little value?
§ Mr. EdeI expressed my view, during the Debate on the continuance of the Emergency Laws, about the general question of registration cards. While they remain it is as well that we should use them.
Mr. Leslie HaleWould my right hon. Friend consider the fact that I had to attend a police station this morning with all these documents; that I had to produce my identification card within 48 hours and a driving licence and insurance certificate within five days; and on these occasions is it not hard that if one has to make two attendances during the day, one is liable to be prosecuted for parking outside while waiting inside?
§ Mr. EdeI am sorry that my hon. Friend, a brilliant expositor of the law, should have got into difficulties with it, but I cannot help thinking that he managed to produce all his documents at one and the same time.
§ Mr. Douglas MarshallOn a point of order. Can we have candles, Mr. Speaker.