§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Prime Minister (1) whether, having regard to the heavy charge which falls upon the voluntary hospitals consequent on the 2071W reception and treatment of persons injured in road accidents, who in many cases are non-resident, and whose injuries are frequently caused by reckless driving or at excessive speed, and to the fact that the injured persons are generally unable to make any contribution towards the cost of their treatment, he will consider the desirability of amending the law by enabling the Court, upon a conviction of an offender, to include in the order the payment of a fixed sum, by way of contribution, to the hospital or authorise the payment out of the fines levied by way of penalty for motor offences a lump sum, or by way of percentage, to the hospital rendering aid in these cases as the Court of Petty or Quarter Sessions may direct, or to be paid out of the general fine fund of the Court;
(2) whether he is aware that the fines imposed upon persons convicted of reckless driving of motor cars or at an excessive speed amount to a considerable sum; and, having regard to the fact that during the year 1925 the sum so levied by the Ealing section of the Brentford Petty Sessional Bench and actually recovered for fines amounted to £783, and that during the same period the King Edward Memorial Hospital, Ealing, expended approximately £1,190 in treating patients injured in motor accidents within the borough over and above contributions received from patients, and that such results are probably the same in other places, he can see his way to promote legislation which will authorise the making of grants to hospitals treating such patients out of the fine fund of the Courts imposing such fines?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have been asked to reply. I will bear in mind the suggestion put forward by my hon. and learned Friend, but I cannot hold out any hope that it will be possible to introduce legislation to give effect to it.