§ Sir J. MARRIOTTasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the increasing burden imposed upon voluntary hospitals for the treatment of cases arising from motor accidents; and whether he will intro- 2257W duce legislation to make the insurance of all drivers of motor cars compulsory and to make the cost of the treatment of motor-accident cases a first charge upon the insurance payment?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe compulsory insurance of all motor vehicles would involve great difficulties, but even if they could be overcome I do not think that it would be practicable to make the cost of treatment and maintenance in voluntary hospitals a first charge on the insurance monies. In order to bring the matter within the scope of a policy of insurance, it would be necessary, in the first place, that the hospital should have an enforceable claim against the patient, and, in the second, that the patient's injury, if he was a third party, should have been due to negligence on the part of the driver of the vehicle.