§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked the Home Secretary if he has any official information showing that the Town Police Clauses Act, 1847, which empowers the licensing authority to license such number of carriages as they think fit, has worked satisfactorily with provincial authorities; and, if so, whether he will consider the advisability of extending it to London, in view of the fact that under the system of licensing and control now prevailing in the Metropolis the number of persons killed by motor omnibuses has increased out of all proportion to the increase in the number of omnibuses, that complaints have been made by tradesmen and residents of damage to their trade and property by these vehicles, of the opinion frequently expressed by coroners' juries that the omnibuses as now licensed are not safe, and of resolutions passed by the London municipal authorities demanding a better system of licensing and control?
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§ Mr. McKENNAThere is no official information in my Department as to the working of the provisions of the Town Police Clauses Act which are referred to by my hon. Friend. The extension of those provisions to London would involve legislation, which I am not prepared to introduce.