§ 4. Mr. Pageasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many applications he has received from commercial garages and local authorities, respectively, to have premises designated as vehicle testing stations; and how soon he anticipates that inspection of such premises by his technical officers will commence.
§ Mr. WatkinsonUp to 3rd February, 10,054 commercial garages and 20 local authorities had applied for appointment to undertake vehicle tests. Inspection of premises began in December and is continuing.
§ Mr. PageDoes my right hon. Friend realise that hon. Members on both sides of the House are anxious that vehicle testing should be brought into operation as soon as possible, as there has been such a long wait since the passing of the Road Traffic Act?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI agree with my hon. Friend. My Ministry is pressing on, and I am glad to say that applications are now coming in.
§ Mr. StraussWill the Minister go further? In view of the fact that hundreds of people are killed because of defective mechanism on cars, and because of the delay of three-and-a-half years before the operation of the scheme, he assure us that there will be no further postponement?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI do not think that there will be any further delay. We have cleared all the legal difficulties, and that was the great problem.