HC Deb 10 November 1954 vol 532 c1190
29. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in the interests of road safety, he will review his policy of refusing to commend and promote road safety inventions; and why no representative of his Department has inspected the signalling device of Mr. Chater, of Clevedon, details of which have on more than one occasion been forwarded by Mr. Irish, of 1329, Bristol Road South, Northfield, Birmingham.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I do not accept the imputation contained in the first part of this Question. No representative of my Department has inspected this particular device because the details already submitted make its nature and purpose sufficiently clear. Among other things, it would not, if used, comply with the law.

Mr. Chapman

Is it not a case that in many letters to me and to other hon. Members the Department has said that it is not its policy to commend particular inventions? If Government Departments had to do so in time of war for war-time inventions, is not the campaign against death and destruction on the road sufficiently important for the policy to be reconsidered by the Department?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I made it clear, I hope, in the earlier part of the answer, that I do not accept the suggestion of lack of interest in suitable devices of this sort as our policy, but there is a distinction between that and getting involved in commercial interests.

Mr. Chapman

Whom can an inventor get to take up these things? There is not one commercial organisation.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

This particular device was submitted to my Department and we did not proceed further with it because, although its purpose was clear, it did not comply with the law.