asked the Minister for Supplies if, in regard to owners of private motor cars who had their cars taxed as "hackney" or "commercial" cars as from 24th March, 1941, he will state why no petrol allowance was made to the owners of such cars even where the conversion was genuinely founded on commercial necessity; and if he will now consider recommending to the appropriate Department a refund of the tax paid in such cases where the car was, owing to the refusal of a petrol allowance, laid up idle since the 24th March.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Petrol Allowance.
The quantity of petrol available for distribution generally is very limited and, consequently, the allowances to private cars have to be rigidly restricted. Following on the suspension of licences for private cars at the beginning of the year, numerous owners converted the classification of their private cars to small public service vehicles or commercial goods vehicles, clearly with the object of securing petrol supplies. A development of this kind would have serious reactions on our rationing system, and I decided that the allowances in respect of small public service vehicles would be confined to persons already engaged in the hackney business, and that the allowances in respect of commercial goods vehicles should be confined to vehicles which are bona fide intended for the carriage of goods and not capable of carrying passengers.
In regard to the last part of the question, I cannot see my way to make such a recommendation inasmuch as all owners of private cars which have been taxed for the current quarter have received petrol allowances in respect of the months of May and June.