HC Deb 13 November 1974 vol 881 cc400-2
15. Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to improve the school crossing patrol system.

Mr. Mulley

The responsibility for providing these patrols rests with county councils, and improvements are a matter to be arranged locally.

Mr. Golding

Is the Minister aware that there is evidence that the grave shortage of crossing attendants is due not only to the deplorable levels of remuneration but also to the reluctance of many old people to be seen carrying the "lollipop" stick, and that the rules which make it imperative for them to carry that stick are very much his responsibility?

Mr. Mulley

I am of course willing to look into any suggestions which might help local authorities in their difficult task in this matter. There has been a joint Department of the Environment and Home Office working party which is shortly to consult local authorities. This point will obviously be considered along with it.

Mr. Berry

In the interests of the safety of schoolchildren, will the Minister also speed up his experiments in the banning of car parking outside schools, as this could well lead to much greater safety for schoolchildren?

Mr. Mulley

I think the House will agree that it is properly a matter for the local authorities concerned to decide which parts of which streets are banned to parking.

Mr. Raphael Tuck

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this problem confronts many education authorities in many constituencies, including mine, that sometimes they cannot get the "lollipop" man or woman to stand at the crossing and that the difficulty then is that responsibility devolves on the parents, who are often at work? Will he try to evolve a system whereby the parents can breathe more freely and the children can be made safer?

Mr. Mulley

We are ready to help in any way we can, but I must stress that this is a local county council responsibility and that we are seeking, in con sultation with the associations, to issue general guidance. I will of course bear my hon. Friend's point in mind.