§ Captain ERSKINE-BOLSTasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the fact that, owing to the London Passenger Transport Board being able to avail itself of the Public Authorities Protection Act, 1893, it is rejecting all claims in which action has not been instituted within six months after the actual act: whether he can give the numbers of such claims which have been rejected; and whether, in view of the fact that in 1893, when the Act was passed, mechanically-propelled vehicles had not been invented, he will consider 1495W the desirability of introducing legislation depriving the London Passenger Transport Board of these privileges and placing them on an equal footing with private persons?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI am unable to give the number of claims against the London Passenger Transport Board in respect of which it has pleaded the Public Authorities Protection Act, 1893, as no record has been kept of such cases. I am, however, informed that, notwithstanding the protection afforded by the Act, the Board have made payments on claims where such a course seemed to them to be equitable. It would not seem appropriate to introduce legislation to deprive the Board of any statutory protection to which it may be entitled as a result of the status which Parliament conferred upon it so recently as 1933.