§ Major Anstruther-Grayasked the Home Secretary whether he will issue a direction to police authorities under his control that licences for the purchase of new private motor-cars for police duty will not be applied for while a plentiful supply of good second-hand motor-cars remains on the market?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonA licence for the purchase of a new car would not be issued by the Ministry of War Transport without the prior approval of my Department, and it is in fact necessary to rely almost wholly on the purchase of second-hand cars to meet police requirements.
§ Major Anstruther-Grayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether 186W he will see that police authorities in Scotland do not apply for licences for the purchase of new private motor-cars for police purposes so long as a plentiful supply of good second-hand motor-cars is on the market?
Mr. JohnstonThe answer is in the affimative. No new private cars have been purchased by police authorities since February, 1942. During that period only second-hand cars were purchased for replacement purposes.
§ Major Anstruther-Grayasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport how many special licences for the purchase of new motorcars were issued during the last six months; and whether he is satisfied that it was in every case essential for the purchaser to have a new motor-car rather than a second-hand one?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerDuring the six months ended 30th June, 1942, 1,202 licences were issued to persons or firms engaged in work of national importance to acquire 1,620 unregistered motor-cars. Included in these numbers are those sanctioned for use by the Police and Government Departments. During the same period, 545 applications were refused. In answer to the second part of the Question, I am glad to inform my hon. Friend that arrangements have been made to terminate the manufacture of motor-cars in the near-future. So long as they are available they will be accorded to those who can show that they have the greatest need for a new car.