§ 2. Mr. G. Williamsasked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will make it compulsory to fit suppressors to all electrical appliances in order to eliminate interference with television.
§ Mr. GammansMy noble Friend will be guided by the advice he receives from the Committees established for this purpose under Part II of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949, which have not yet made a final report.
§ Mr. WilliamsRegardless of what that report contains, will my hon. Friend at least make it compulsory to fit suppressors to old cars? Is he aware that this has been already made compulsory on new cars. It is no use his saying that to impose compulsion in respect of new cars will need an army of officials to carry it out, because silencers, trade plates and good brakes have already to be seen to and so this will not entail much work. Is he also aware that the cost will be negligible?
§ Mr. GammansIt is not a question of the cost of the suppressors, but it is not the slightest use the House bringing in a regulation unless we can enforce it. We have gone into this and there is no means of effectively enforcing this requirement in respect of old cars unless we are prepared to recruit a corps of officials.
§ Mr. HobsonIn view of the fact that the Wireless Telegraphy Act has been on the Statute Book for four years and it is three years since technical committees were appointed, is it not possible to get a move on with the general question of interference, let alone interference by old motor cars?
§ Mr. GammansI should be glad if this Committee could report more quickly, but they have told us that there are great difficulties in the way. As I told the House two weeks ago, this problem of suppressing interference is going to be far more difficult than many of us imagined in the first instance.