§ 42. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received the report of the Road Research Council dealing with safety belts; and whether he intends to publish it.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Mr. T. G. D. Galbraith)The question of safety belts is investigated by the Road Research Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research as part of its normal programme. Some results showing the effect of safety belts on personal injury accidents have already been published. I understand that the results of a further investigation will be available soon, but their publication is a matter for my noble Friend the Minister for Science.
§ Mr. DigbyWill my hon. Friend see that something is done to achieve a little more standardisation than there is at present, as the many different types of safety belt are a deterrent to most people to use them and standardisation would reduce the high cost of fitting the belts?
§ Mr. GalbraithIt is certainly a matter that we will look into, but I am sure that my hon. Friend realises that different designs may have different safety factors. It is something we must look into.