§ Mr. HOUSTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the wife of the hon. Member for the Buckrose Division of the East Riding of Yorkshire, with whom she was travelling in a taxicab in the neighbourhood of King's Cross on 25th May, was injured by reason of collision with another taxicab; whether he is aware that taxicabs in the streets of London frequently proceed at a speed of over twenty miles per hour, and motor omnibuses frequently proceed at a speed of over twenty miles per hour (although the legal speed limits are twenty miles and twelve miles per hour respectively); whether he is aware that accidents by reason of exceeding the speed limit are of daily occurrence; and whether, with a view to prevent the frequent accidents by reason of excessive speed and reckless driving, he will introduce legislation requiring every mechanically driven vehicle to be fitted with a reliable speedometer, so that drivers may have no excuse for exceeding the respective speed limits?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI share the regret of all Members of this House at the accident referred to. The legal limits of speed are exceeded at times by motor vehicles of all kinds; the police are on the alert to repress these offences, and many prosecutions result. The compulsory provision of a speedometer would be of little assistance to police in controlling excessive speed, as these instruments do not usually retain a reliable record of the maximum speed.