§ 1. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Minister of Transport if he will institute a technological inquiry into the feasibility of standardising safety features in motor vehicles to harmonise with the safety requirements of other countries where car manufacture is concerned; and if he will also initiate talks on this subject with his counterparts in other major car-producing countries, with a view to reaching international agreement.
The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Mr. Bob Brown)The United Kingdom is participating fully in the work of an Economic Commission for Europe Working Party which is drawing up internationally agreed regulations on motor vehicle safety.
§ Mr. SmithIs it not vital for our export performance to have car safety standardisation? When does the Parliamentary Secretary expect these negotiations to reach a fruitful conclusion?
Mr. BrownI agree that there should be common standards for car safety. The E.C.E. Working Party has already introduced eight international regulations for lighting equipment, and four more international safety regulations concerning steering columns, anti-burst door latches and hinges, brakes, and padding of passenger compartments, have been completed. Many others are being prepared. We are not standing still.