asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he proposes to alter the present arrangements regarding the issue of petrol allowances to owners of private hire motor-cars; and why the advisability for issuing such allowances is judged on confidential police reports rather than recommendations of local authorities in whose areas the motor cars will serve.

No, Sir. The work of the police gives them an intimate and firsthand knowledge of traffic conditions and of public transport facilities and in my view their advice as to any need for additional hire cars in any given area is the best that is available.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that there are other considerations, besides that of traffic, which need to be taken into account in this matter, and that local authorities are in a far better position to judge of the need for these cars than local police constables?

The police are in touch with the local authorities. It is true that other considerations, apart from traffic considerations, need to be taken into account, and they are taken into account.

Are we to understand that the right hon. Gentleman justifies a system under which a man has no chance of earning his living, because that right is denied to him by a civil servant on the basis of a confidential report which he has not seen?

Nothing of the sort. We have to consider whether, in any given area, we shall issue licences to people who wish to enter into this business to the detriment of those already there.

Is the Minister aware that the Parliamentary Secretary, in correspondence with me, said that the reason why reports were kept confidential was to save chief constables the trouble of correspondence with his Ministry?

It is desirable to make them confidential, because it is not in the interest of the person concerned to publicise them.

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's replies, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter again on the Adjournment at the first opportunity.