§ Mr. Barnettasked the Minister of Transport how the quota of 2,400 journeys per annum under the AngloItalian Bilateral Agreement on restriction of goods vehicles compares with his estimate of the number of journeys in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. MurrayFigures for previous years are not available but we estimate that in the past 12 months about 4,000 journeys were made to or through Italy by British goods vehicles.
§ Mr. Barnettasked the Minister of Transport what was the annual rate of journeys of the first applications for licences under the Anglo-Italian Agreement ; how the allocation was made ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MurrayThe Anglo-Italian road haulage agreement came into force on 1st November, and 331 applications were received from British operators for journeys to be made in that month. This represents an annual rate of about 4,000, compared with the quota ceiling of 2,400. An additional quota of 150 journeys by road/rail piggyback transport has been agreed for November/December, 1969. Applications for 53 permits from this quota were received for November. The road /rail quota for 1970 has not yet been decided.
In allocating the available permits for November, account was taken of the applicant's established position in Anglo/ Italian road haulage and of the urgency of the consignment ; but as demand for 86W permits far exceeded supply, many applications had to be refused.
We shall continue to urge the Italian authorities to increase the quota substantially or abolish it altogether on a reciprocal basis.