§ 76. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that, owing to defects of which he has been informed, in the carriage of perishable commodities by train notably fish from Aberdeen to London, alternative transport by road has become essential; that this involves his permission to extend the number of refrigerated road lorries for which licences may be granted for this kind of work; and if he will investigate the relevant problems and seek or give powers to the appropriate licensing authorities to increase the permitted number of licensed refrigerated road lorries accordingly.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThere has been trouble with hot axle boxes on some of the fish trains from Aberdeen, and to avoid this the British Transport Commission are fitting about 200 of the newest fish vans with roller bearings. Under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, it is for the licensing authorities and not for me to grant any road carriers' licences for this kind of work, if they are satisfied that more vehicles are necessary.