HC Deb 19 November 1969 vol 791 cc1304-6
29. Mr. Buchanan-Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to study the effects of British Standard Time during the winter of 1969–70; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Buchan

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I are making arrangements, in conjunction with other Government Departments and the interests most directly affected by the change, for information about the effects of British Standard Time during the winters of 1968–69 and 1969–70 to be assembled in preparation for the comprehensive review which the Government have undertaken to carry out next year. As already announced, this review will include a social survey.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

Will the hon. Gentleman say precisely when the review will take place? Could he also give any information about what machinery will be available for individuals and organisation to make representations and by what time he expects those representations to be made?

Mr. Buchan

I would not like to give an exact answer as to the point of time at which any announcement will be made. We will be getting in touch with the various organisations which have already been consulted, and it will be open as usual for bodies to make representations and provide evidence. Representations tend to be made with very little evidence to back them.

Mr. William Hamilton

Has my hon. Friend any indication that the Scottish T.U.C. has changed its mind on whether it supports the experiment?

Mr. Buchan

I have no information that it has changed its mind. I presume its point of view remains as it was.

Mrs. Ewing

Will the hon. Gentleman, in the social survey which is being carried out, take account of the views of ordinary people, not people in the categories of trade union membership or farmers? If he takes the views of ordinary people, even if they do not fall into any of those categories, he may find that ordinary people are angry at the robbery of some hours of their daylight.

Mr. Buchan

The hon. Lady has it wrong. No one is robbing anybody of hours of daylight. This is similar to the problem in the 18th century when people thought that, because the calendar was changed, they would lose 11 days. The number of hours of daylight is dictated by God and the sun, not by us. Of course one has to consider the points of view held by ordinary people. I have to consider not only attitudes which often are stimulated by the wrong people in this connection, but also the actual facts which are unfolded. In fact, the accident figures have been marginally better than they were before. That is what I have to consider in my responsibilities for the people of Scotland.

Dr. Miller

Will my hon. Friend not be pushed into precipitate action by vociferous mouthings by hon. Members on the other side of the House who are trying to make some kind of political capital of this matter, since the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Mr. Buchan

That is a point of view. I did not quite say that. I said that I would examine the position to see which way the balance of advantage went rather than prejudge the matter, as has been done by far too many hon. Members opposite.

Mr. Stodart

Would the hon. Gentleman examine the matter with the same urgency as he is examining a certain other matter?

Mr. Buchan

We will examine it until we find a sufficient basis of fact before we make a decision, both with regard to the other matter and also this one. Hon. Gentlemen opposite should not have closed their minds before they had any results to go on.