The Minister will remember that on the Second Stage of this Bill I asked him to look into the question of whether certain individuals to whom he was obliged by statute to refuse an increase in the weight of their lorries would be notified that under the new legislation they would be permitted to run a two-ton lorry where before they had permission only for a 30-cwt. lorry. I refer to people who have gone out of business.
Road Transport Bill, 1935—Money Resolution. - Road Transport Bill, 1935—Committee Stage.
Sections 1 to 8 put and agreed to. Title agreed to.
I do not think it is necessary, because they have been informed already. In fact, prosecutions are not being pressed in anticipation of the passage of this Bill.
There is one case from Donegal on which I approached the Minister's Department some time ago and I was told that the matter engaged the sympathetic consideration of the Department but that, unfortunately, the Minister had no statutory authority to give permission for this man to have a two-ton lorry. The man subsequently disposed of the lorry and I think he went to work for somebody else. If he got permission now he would go back to working a lorry for himself. I want the Minister now to notify people who had a 30-cwt. lorry licensed—to say to them that they are now free on that licence to operate a two-ton lorry. Perhaps 200 halfpenny stamps would be sufficient to deal with the whole thing.
There are 1,000 such cases.
Very well; 1,000 halfpenny stamps would then be sufficient. Would the Minister consider the propriety of doing that in the case of persons who might not be fully advised of the nature of this legislation? I was speaking yesterday to a man who is deeply concerned in the whole history of transport legislation and he had not the faintest notion of what this Bill provided. That would give the Minister an idea that the ordinary members of the public do form vague impressions of measures like this and similar measures that pass through this House. Therefore, it is necessary to direct their attention specifically to the section of the Bill to which I am referring.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment.
Report Stage of the Bill fixed for next Wednesday.