HL Deb 25 November 1947 vol 152 cc838-9
EARL HOWE

My Lords, I beg to ask the Government the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether a return can be furnished indicating the number and types of motor cars, classified according to horse power, on November 1, 1947:—

  1. (1) At the disposal of each Government Department, apart from the Service Departments;
  2. (2) How many are on order for each Department;
  3. (3) How many are at the disposal of Ministers;
  4. (4) How many drivers are employed,
and whether any orders have been issued restricting their use to save petrol since August 27, 1947, and, if so, the nature of such orders.]

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (LORD PAKENHAM)

My Lords, answers to the first and fourth parts of the question are not as present available. A census of the vehicles held by Government Departments is in hand, and when the returns are complete, which may not be for some little time, I will send the noble Lord a copy. Drivers are not separately shown in staff returns and complete information could not be collected without a considerable amount of labour. Many departmental cars are driven by civil servants who use them in the course of their work. I will circulate in the Official Report a return Answering the second part of the question.

Thirty-six cars are allocated to individual Ministers, most of them being 27 h.p.

The Minister of Fuel and Power sent a letter to all Departments on August 21 reminding them of the need to set an example in petrol economy, and asking them to make every effort to secure an overall reduction of at least ten per cent. in the consumption of petrol both by Government cars and by private cars used by Government servants on official business.

[Following is the return referred to by Lord Pakenham:

Passenger Vehicles outstanding for Civil Departments as at 1.11.47.
Home Office:
Humber Super Snipes, 27 h.p. 28
Humber Hawks, 14 h.p. 39
Austin Saloon, 16 h.p. 4
Wolseley Saloon, 14 h.p. 2
Vauxhall Saloon, 12 h.p. 6
Vauxhall Saloon, 14 h.p. 4
Ministry of Education:
Ford Saloon, 10 h.p. 2
Imperial War Graves Commission:
Austin Saloon, 10 h.p. 2
Control Commission, Germany and Austria:
Austin Saloon, 16 h.p. 495
Humber Pullman, 27 h.p. 17
High Commissioner in Pakistan:
Super Snipe, 27 h.p. 1
Board of Trade:
Super Snipe, 27 h.p. 1
Ministry of Works:
Austin Saloon, 16 h.p. 1
Austin Saloon, 10 h.p. 75
Wolseley Saloon, 12 h.p. 34
D.S.I.R.:
Austin Saloon, 16 h.p. 1
Vauxhall Saloon, 12 h.p. 1
Ministry of Health:
Hillman Saloon, 10 h.p. 9
Ministry of Supply
Vauxhall Saloon, 14 h.p. 37
Austin Saloon, 10 h.p. 65
Wolseley Limousine, 25 h.p. 5
Wolseley Saloon, 18 h.p. 10
Humber Pullman Limousine, 27 h.p. 19
Hillman Minx, 10 h.p. 4
Humber Hawk, 14 h.p. 50
912
NOTE.—The type of car required is being reconsidered in some cases; for instance the Home Office are ready to substitute 16 h.p. cars for Humber Super Snipes.]