§ 51. Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider including in the highway code advice to cyclists to have a properly lighted red lamp at the rear of their bicycles for their own safety in areas where motor traffic is dense?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONParliament had this question under review so recently as 1927, and then came to the decision embodied in the Road Transport Lighting Act of that year. I do not, 966 therefore, feel able to include in the highway code the advice suggested in the hon. Member's question.
Lieut. - Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of these cyclists carry reflectors which it is practically impossible to see? Is there any standard of illumination?
§ Mr. MORRISONI am not disposed to disagree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman s point, but the Act of 1927 was passed by the previous Parliament, and, in view of that fact, I do not feel that I ought to impose on the Statute action by administration.
§ Mr. MANDERWill the right hon. Gentleman bring the matter up at the conference he is shortly holding?
§ Mr. MORRISONIn 1927 Parliament took certain action, and it is a doubtful constitutional practice for a Minister by administration apparently to make an Act of Parliament nugatory.
§ Sir JOSEPH LAMBIs it not the fact that the difficulty of keeping a rear lamp alight makes it likely that the disc is more satisfactory?
§ Mr. MORRISONI understand that all these points were argued and considered by my predecessor. I am content to have left the trouble to him.