§ 43. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the total sum so far received from the transport levy.
§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenter£6,618,810 up to the end of January, 1955.
§ Mr. DoddsIs it not regrettable that nearly £7 million have been added to the cost-of-living problem? How much longer are we to persist in this farce? Can the Minister, for the benefit of the people, not go back to an integrated transport system?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterWe may hear more about the latter part of that supplementary question in another debate. On the first part of the question, this figure has nothing whatever to do with the cost of living.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesHow can the Minister make such a statement, when obviously any tax on road vehicles is added to their cost of operation and, therefore, reflects on the price of the goods they carry? How can the Minister any longer justify continuing to incur a loss on the sale of national vehicles which is serving no purpose whatsoever, which is bringing about a deterioration in the transport system and, at the same time, imposing a tax on the road vehicle users who gain nothing from it?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe hon. Gentleman knows well that these changes are improving the transport system and its efficiency, and so operating favourably on the cost of living.