No bullying of small garages out of testing, says MoT
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
from our Parliamentary correspondent • Fears that the Government was seeking to drive smaller garages out of the vehicle testing business, so that the work could be done by British Railways' garages were dismissed in the Commons last week by Mr. Bob Brown, MoT Parliamentary Secretary.
This thought had not entered the Minister's head or the Government's thinking, he said—if it had, then Ministry testing stations could have been established, as with heavy goods vehicles.
If BR should opt to operate garages, there was no reason why they should not be eligible to apply to be authorized to test vehicles, just as any private garage was entitled to do, added Mr. Brown.
And, like any private garage, to become authorized they would have to meet the current requirements. There would be no question of any lower standards being applied to a nationalized industry.
Mr. Brown was replying to suspicions that the Government was carrying out this anti-garage campaign—by tightening the standards.
These had been mentioned by Mr. J. Bruce-Gardyne (Tory, South Angus), who said he understood the suspicion was widespread in the garage business.
He asked for a categorical assurance that
the Government would not badger and bully small garages out of vehicle testing, in order to make room for this work to be carried out by the railways.