§ Viscount SANDONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the new combine which is to administer the motor transport between Palestine and Iraq will operate under a Government licence; whether organised military protection will be afforded and whether each vehicle or each convoy will be compelled to carry a wireless transmitting and receiving set to ensure the safety of passengers, seeing that the absence of this in the past has been the cause of delay, damage to matériel, and loss of life?
§ Mr. AMERYI understand that the main service of the new company will be between Syria and Iraq, though a subsidiary service may be maintained between Haifa and the main route. In Iraq the service will be subject in general to the Regulations of the Iraq Government in the same way as other trans-894W port services between Iraq and Syria. These Regulations provide, inter alia, that all cars must be officially inspected before departure and must be provisioned for seven days, and that convoys must normally consist of at least three cars. The Iraq section of the route is adequately protected by the police posts and desert patrols of the Iraq Government. If conditions are considered unsafe the convoys are stopped. There is a strong police post halfway across the desert at Rutbah Wells through which all overland traffic is now required to pass. The post is furnished with a wireless station, thus enabling any mishap to be reported promptly either to the Syrian or to the Iraq authorities. I understand that it is not considered practicable, or necessary, that each convoy should carry a wireless transmitting and receiving set.