§ Major GLYNasked the Home Secretary whether accidents to motor hackney carriages in which passengers are killed or injured have to be reported to any authority; if so, to what authority; and what powers has any Government Department or local authority to take action against the owners if negligence can be proved?
§ Mr. NEALI have been asked to reply to this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, though the police naturally become informed of accidents of a serious nature. It is the duty of the police to take action in respect of offences against the Motor Car Acts or in respect of criminal negligence. I may add that reports are also received from the divisional road engineers on road accidents of a serious712W character, though the Minister of Transport has no statutory authority to institute inquiries into accidents of this nature. On the general question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to paragraphs 198 to 203 of the Second Interim Report of the Departmental Committee on the Regulation of Road Vehicles, which are attached.