§ LORD CHESHAMasked Her Majesty's Government:
To provide full details of the National Opinion Poll arranged concerning the experimental 70 m.p.h. speed limit, stating how many motorists were interviewed, how they were selected, what questions they were asked, and whether the result included the opinions of any non-motorists.
§ LORD LINDGRENThe National Opinion Poll concerning the 70 m.p.h. speed limit was not initialed by the Minister of Transport but was conducted independently by N.O.P. before the speed limit experiment began.
During its national survey of electors N.O.P. took from the 9th to the 13th December a random sample of 2,094 electors in Great Britain comprising 924 males and 1,126 females. Of these electors 430 were motorists. When asked "Do you approve or disapprove of a 70 m.p.h. speed limit on all roads?", 60 per cent. approved, 38 per cent. disapproved and 2 per cent. did not know. Of 1,620 non-motorists 52 per cent. approved, 42 per cent. disapproved, and 7 per cent. did not know.
House adjourned at eight minutes before seven o'clock.