Clause 3. — (General duty of Board as to passenger transport.)

Part of Orders of the Day — London Passenger Transport (Re-Committed) Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 5 December 1932.

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Photo of Mr Thomas Inskip Mr Thomas Inskip , Fareham

With regard to the criticism of my hon. and learned Friend the Member for East Grinstead (Sir H. Cautley), I think that no court would have any difficulty in interpreting this Clause in a reasonable way if anybody should seek to attack the board because they had been the victims of fate. For instance, if they had used their best efforts to conduct the undertaking on a self-supporting basis, and it failed, I do not suppose that any court in the world would interpret the words It shall be the duty of in such a way as to make them guilty of anything for which they would be answerable in damages or liable to a term of imprisonment. I quite agree that the word "duty" suggests to a lawyer something which can be enforced by the courts, but the Clause merely sets out at length the direction of Parliament to the board that they are to carry on their undertaking on a self-supporting basis.