§ 15. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the public disquiet resulting from the toll of road accidents, he can yet state when the proposed legislation to improve road safety is to be introduced.
§ 22. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when it is proposed to present legislation to Parliament to improve measures of road safety as announced in the Speech from the Throne.
§ The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)I regret that I cannot add to the reply I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Brixton (Lieut.-Colonel Lipton) last week.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes not the right hon. Gentleman remember that in July he said that he hoped to bring out some new ideas fairly soon and that July is a long time ago? Since then there has been a heavy death roll, and is it not necessary to get down to the job and to get on with it?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydNew ideas do not always involve legislation but can sometimes be brought about by good administrative action.
§ Mr. DaviesDoes the Minister realise the urgency of this, andwill he urge those responsible for the programme of legislation in this Parliament to give greater priority to this matter than to such unnecessary measures as commercial television?
§ Mr. UsborneIn regard to accidents on the road, particularly those in which children are involved, could the Minister tell the House how many are caused when children run hurriedly across a road? Would he further agree that if children never ran, but went slowly across the road, accidents would be greatly reduced?
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: I do not think that arises out of this Question.
§ Mr. CallaghanIn view of the fact that the legislation involved would be based upon a report made in 1947, may I ask the Minister what technical reasons are holding up the presentation of the Bill, inview of the fact that work based upon the report has been going on continuously since 1947 in order to prepare the Bill which the Minister promised last July?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI have made it plain in earlier answers in the House that a good Bill involves a great deal of preliminary consultation, so that some of the problems which might otherwise occupy public attention after the Bill is presented can be thrashed out first.
§ Mr. CallaghanWith respect, does not the Minister think that he has had sufficient time when he recalls that consultation has been going on since 1947—seven years?
Mr. I. O. ThomasWould the Minister take the House and the country into his confidence and reveal to us when he had his last new idea?