§ Major Petoasked the Secretary of State for War whether arrangements can be made to enable the Army to assist in the distribution of coal during the coming winter by permitting the numerous columns of empty lorries being driven by learner-drivers and others to ply to and from goods yards and distributing centres to local consumers, more particularly as no difficulties in loading or unloading need then arise?
§ Mr. SandysArrangements already exist whereby Army mechanical transport vehicles, employed on the training of drivers, may be used to assist in civilian transport work in cases of urgency. The extent to which assistance of this kind can be rendered by the Army is of course limited by training considerations. However, the possibility of further extending the use of Army mechanical transport is at present being examined in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Minister of War Transport.