§ 7. Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of Transport when the Final Report of the Committee on Road Safety is to be expected; and whether he will publish a White Paper indicating what steps the Government have already taken and propose to take during the next few months to implement the main recommendations of this committee and of the Select Committee of the House of Lords on Road Safety Problems, Session 1938–39.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Mr. G. R. Strauss)The final Report of the Committee on Road Safety should be available in a few months. Certain statements on the action already taken have been made and when my right hon. Friend has had an opportunity to consider the further recommendations of the Committee he will be able to decide how best he can inform the House of the Government's decisions and proposals.
§ 8. Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of Transport for what reason the personnel of the Committee on Road Safety is so restricted; and whether he will consider broadening the basis of membership when making it a permanent body.
§ Mr. BarnesThe membership of the Committee on Road Safety is at present restricted to representatives of the Government Departments concerned, the police, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. The Committee is, in my view, well constituted for the task which I have asked it to do. I have, however, accepted the recommendation of the present Committee that a Road Safety Committee should be retained as a permanent feature of my Department's organisation, and at the appropriate time I shall be prepared to consider whether its basis of membership needs to be broadened.
§ Mr. JannerWould the right hon. Gentleman say in what period of time he is likely to be prepared to consider extending the basis of membership?
§ Mr. BarnesI do not think I committed myself to extend the basis of membership. I said I would review it when the time came for me to make that decision.
§ 47. Mr. Jannerasked the Lord President of the Council to what extent the Road Research Organisation is concerning itself with the application of electronic devices to assist road safety.
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)The Road Research Organisation is using electronic devices in investigating strain in, or pressures on, road surfaces as part of the study of road design and construction. Where appropriate, -electronic devices will also be used in examining traffic flow and in other researches concerned with road safety, which it has recently been decided to include in the revised terms of reference of the Road Research Organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.