§ 2. Commander Keransasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will introduce legislation to prohibit ice-cream vans from playing signature tunes indiscriminately, and thereby reduce unnecessary noise.
§ The Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (Dr. Charles Hill)No, Sir. It is already an offence under Section 2 of the Noise Abatement Act, 1960, to operate these chimes outside the hours of 12 noon—7 p.m. or within these hours in such a manner as to give reasonable cause for annoyance.
§ Commander KeransIn my constituency, where the inhabitants are mainly shift workers, these ice-cream vans travel about during the day and night. In spite of instructions issued by the Ice Cream Federation in which ice-cream vendors were asked not to sound these chimes in areas where shift workers were asleep, it is still going on. Will my right hon. Friend review the working of the Act?
§ Dr. HillThe Act has been in force for one year only and I think it premature to consider amending it, although I appreciate what my hon. and gallant Friend says.