HC Deb 21 February 1955 vol 537 cc869-71
32. Mr. Russell

asked the Minister of Supply what progress has been made in the design of motor cars in recent years towards standardising the height of bumpers above the ground.

The Minister of Supply (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd)

This is a matter for motor car manufacturers and I believe that the industry is well aware of the desirability of as much uniformity as possible in bumper heights. The great variation in size of cars, however, presents considerable difficulty. It is becoming the practice to fit cars with overriders, and this is of special importance in North American markets.

Mr. Russell

Would my right hon. and learned Friend not agree that bumpers are useless unless they are the same of many figures, it is proper to circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT, since it is hard for the House to catch up with a long string of figures given from the Dispatch Box. When it is a bona fide request for information, one supplementary question is in order, but it is turning the proceedings at Question Time into an argument when the occasion is made one for debate instead of one for seeking information.

Following is the information:

height, and would he do everything to ensure, without legislation, that they are the same height?

Mr. Lloyd

It is probably desirable to avoid legislation, but I think the point about the overrider meets a great deal of what my hon. Friend has said.

Mr. Woodburn

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that some years ago the manufacturers agreed to this, and is he not further aware that many accidents take place because of bumpers interlocking at parking places and elsewhere, and that a considerable amount of damage arises from the discrepancy in the height of bumpers?

Mr. Lloyd

I agree that there is a British Standard, but there is also considerable difficulty from the point of view of the difference in the size of cars.

Mr. Langford-Holt

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the worst feature is that of cars which do not have bumpers at all, and that an overrider cannot be fitted to a bumper that is not there?