§ 33. Mr. Fenner Brockwayasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, if he will take powers to require motor car owners to attach suppressors to their vehicles in the interest of television users; and if he will utilise the annual issue of the Excise licence to ensure that suppressors have been fitted.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Hugh Molson)My right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General already has powers to require motor car owners to fit suppressors to their vehicles, and new motor vehicles must be so fitted. My right hon. Friend has no power to make the issue of an Excise licence conditional on the fitting of a suppressor.
§ Mr. BrockwayMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the large and growing number of television viewers and the serious interference from which they suffer where they are near highways such as the Western Road through Slough, where motor cars are so frequent, whether he could not take powers to enable him to use the annual licence to see that these suppressors are attached to cars?
§ Mr. MolsonNo, Sir, I do not think that it would be a proper thing to do, to take power, by a side wind, to enforce something of that kind.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltIs my right hon. Friend aware that there are large numbers of new motor-assisted bicycles which interfere not only with television sets, but with ordinary radio sets? Can he say whether the Regulation just mentioned applies to those, because if so, it is being contravened.
§ Mr. MolsonI think it applies to all motor vehicles, but I will certainly look into that point and let my hon. Friend know.