§ 34 and 35. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will introduce lower noise levels for heavy lorries than those set out in the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1969;
(2) what steps he proposes to take to reduce exhaust emissions from heavy lorries.
§ Mr. PeytonI shall be publishing draft regulations on both these subjects shortly.
§ Mr. Michael McNair-WilsonSince my right hon. Friend has elected to take my two Questions together, will he forgive me if my supplementary question is slightly longer.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That does not follow.
§ Mr. McNair-WilsonI bow to your view, Mr. Speaker.
Since the present noise levels of heavy lorries are above those set by the Wilson Report in 1963, does my right hon. Friend believe that the lorry industry is doing as much as it can to get noise levels down? Does he not agree that these levels are pretty unbearable in urban areas?
§ Mr. PeytonI fully recognise and acknowledge the importance of the point made by my hon. Friend and that progress has been rather disappointing. I am engaged in talks with the industry at the moment and I hope for a satisfactory outcome.
§ Mr. MulleyWill the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he will continue on the lines that we established in the previous Government, and say that at least in this field the Government accept that if they wish to achieve their targets they will have to interfere in private industry because, as he said earlier, it is the fault of the manufacturers that these standards have not been achieved?
§ Mr. PeytonI would not want to go too far in following the previous Administration. But in this matter I will do my best, and indeed the mere establishment of a Department of the Environment should be indicative of the Government's concern with these problems.