§ Sir D. NEWTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if the driver of a taxi-cab, for instance, in Cambridge, who cannot afford, through bad trade or other circumstances, to take out a driving licence except in quarterly instalments, is thereby penalised an additional 20 per cent.; and whether he is prepared to take steps to mitigate or remove this hardship?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ASHLEYUnder Section 13 of the Finance Act, 1920, all quarterly licences for mechanically propelled vehicles are issued at 30 per cent. 1521W of the annual rate of duty. The additional administrative work involved in the issue of quarterly licenoes and the advantages derived therefrom by the licensee necessitate and justify a charge at a higher rate than that for annual licences. I do not think that any differentiation can very well be made between taxi-cab owner-drivers and others who depend upon the use of motor vehicles for a living, but I will carefully consider the general question bearing in mind my hon. Friend's representation.