§ 41. Dr. Kingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enact the reforms proposed to him by the Working Party on Hackney Carriages.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerFor the reasons indicated by my predecessor on 1st March, 1956, in his reply, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, to a Question by the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway), no early legislation on this subject is contemplated.
§ Dr. KingIs the Home Secretary aware that this Working Party reported to his predecessor in December, 1954, after devoting three or four years' very careful work to the preparation of a Report? As the recommendations made contain many which are agreeable to the whole of the taxicab industry and to hon. Members on both sides of the House, will he give serious consideration to carrying them out?
§ Mr. ButlerI will certainly look at it in the light of the Parliamentary interest which I notice today, but I must refer 1137 to my predecessor's reply of 1st March, 1956, which sets out the reason why he thought that the Report would not provide any basis on which legislation could be framed. I do not as yet see that I can alter that opinion.