HC Deb 08 March 1951 vol 485 cc642-3
15. Sir Hugh Lucas-Tooth

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to ensure that the law relating to the silencing of motor-bicycles is fully enforced.

Mr. Ede

The responsibility for enforcing the regulations governing this matter rests with individual chief officers of police and I am satisfied that within the limits of the available police manpower they do what they can to secure observation of the regulations. I have no power to issue directions to the police on matters of enforcement, but the need to pay particular attention to noisy motorcycles was mentioned at a recent conference of representative chief officers of police and was subsequently brought to the notice of chief constables generally.

Sir H. Lucas-Tooth

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the intolerable nuisance which is caused, particularly in areas where there is no speed limit, by some of these motor-cycles—not all —and will he do what he can to ensure that the law is enforced and that silencers are not deliberately removed, as sometimes happens?

Mr. Ede

I share the hon. Member's detestation of noisy motor-cycles. I suffer from them sometimes in the small hours of the morning when the House allows me to be seeking slumber at that time. I am sure that the police are alive to their duties in this matter.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if he were on this side of the House and we on that we should have no objection whatsoever to his being absent?

Mr. Ede

But I could not forgo the pleasure of seeing the hon. and gallant Gentleman all the while he is on show.