§ Captain ERSKINE-BOLSTasked the Home Secretary the numbers and names of the benches of magistrates to which he has sent a letter asking for suggestions as to amendments to the road laws for the prevention of road accidents; whether all the replies have now been received; and whether the recommendations will be dealt with in the Road Traffic Bill already introduced or in separate legislation?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe circular in question was addressed to 62 chairmen of county quarter sessions and to 255 mayors of boroughs having separate Commissions of the Peace: in a number of cases a
736Wpayments; and the number disallowed payment?
§ Sir H. BETTERTON,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th April, 1934, col. 460, Vol. 288], supplied the following statement:
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe following statement shows the number of convictions in the Metropolitan Police district for drunkenness—whether alone or at the same time as convictions for other more serious offences—in each month of the years 1932 and 1933:
reply is not yet to hand. The circular asked for the collective views of the justices on two points, namely, first as to the advisability of amending the law so as to allow a court to suspend the licence of a driver on conviction of careless driving, or of exceeding a speed limit, even if there have been no previous convictions, and secondly, as to any difficulties which magistrates might have felt in exercising the power of suspension where it already exists. Apart from answers on these specific points, the replies have included various suggestions designed to promote safety on the roads. These are being considered, and some of them are covered by the Bill now before Parliament.
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