§ 3. Miss Burtonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a further statement on the evidence supplied to him on 30th April last concerning alleged irregularities of Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, by operators of road transporter vehicles 1066 engaged on the transporting of cars from various Coventry car factories to different parts of the country.
§ The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Harold Watkinson)These inquiries are bound to take time and I regret I cannot add anything at present to the reply I gave to the hon. Lady on 21st May.
§ Miss BurtonWhile believing that the Minister does wish to make progress here, would not he agree that the letter from the district secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union in Coventry really gave dates and times and full details? Does the right hon. Gentleman know when we can expect a reply?
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe difficulty with the letter which I have here is, of course, that the whole problem is that of getting people to submit real evidence. We are doing our best.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesIs not also the difficulty that the right hon. Gentleman has not enough enforcement officers and appears to rely on evidence given by Members of Parliament and by the unions, which is not altogether satisfactory?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI am answering a Question about that later on.
§ 4. Miss Burtonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is now in a position to announce his decision concerning the removal of the anomaly whereby the operation of car delivery vehicles is made possible under general trade licences when carriers' A or B licences are not required.
§ Mr. WatkinsonMy right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposes to table a Clause during the Committee stage of the Finance Bill, the effect of which will be to remove this anomaly.
§ Miss BurtonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is very nice to be able to say "Thank you", and that we in Coventry are very appreciative of this anomaly being removed?