Highway Code (Hansard, 4 December 1974)

§ 16. Mr. Berry
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the Green Paper on the Highway Code.

§ Mr. Carmichael
In January, Sir.

§ Mr. Berry
The Minister of Transport said that the code would be issued before the end of this year. I appreciate that the right hon. Gentleman did not expect that he would still be the Minister, but we regret the delay. Will the hon. Gentleman ensure that the House has adequate time to discuss the Green Paper—unlike the last time when a new Highway Code was introduced by the Labour Government—and that all interested parties have a chance to express their views on this important subject?

§ Mr. Carmichael
A Green Paper is being published because of the difficulties which were experienced when the Highway Code was last published. It was discovered that the House had no right to accept or reject it. We expected to have the draft code before the end of the year, but colour printing of a very high standard is required and it has taken longer than expected. There will be time to debate the code in both Houses.

§ Mr. Fry
Is the hon. Gentleman also considering what steps should be taken to ensure that in future the provisions of the code are obeyed somewhat better than they now are by many individuals? There is not much use in publishing recommendations if they are not carried out.

§ Mr. Carmichael
The Department and all of us should at all times be concerned about the question of driving behaviour. However, the code is merely a code of conduct which we hope motorists and road users will follow. No compulsion is involved in the code, and I do not think that we would wish to extend it in that way.