§ 7. Major Anstruther-Grayasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give figures to show the present number of caravans in the United Kingdom and the increase in this number over the last 12 months.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Hugh Molson)I have no information which would enable me to answer my hon. and gallant Friend's Question.
§ Major Anstruther-GrayArising out of that reply, would not some figures of this sort be helpful in making people appreciate how vastly the habit of taking a holiday in a caravan is expanding and, in particular, causing local authorities to make provision to welcome people who wish to spend a caravan holiday?
§ Mr. MolsonThe statistics of road vehicles are a by-product of the procedure for imposing Vehicle Excise Duty. That is payable only on mechanically propelled vehicles, and therefore we have no record of those which are merely trailed.
§ Mr. CallaghanIs it the case that the Ministry is considering restrictions in the use of caravans on the roads during holiday periods? If so, can the users of them have some early information, because there will be a need to adjust their holidays?
§ Mr. MolsonAny consideration that we may be giving to the matter has not reached a point where it would be desirable to give any indication to the public of what is going on in our minds.
§ Mr. Callaghanrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that that matter goes beyond the main Question, which asked only for the number of caravans.