HC Deb 14 July 1976 vol 915 cc632-4
4. Mr. Michael Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for converting road speed limits and distance signs to metric units.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr Kenneth Marks)

None at present, Sir.

Mr. Marshall

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that answer only adds to the confusion about the Government's metrication policy? If plans are formulated to carry this policy through, will they at least look once more at the business of restriction or derestriction of speed limits? At present, this seems to be a question of passing the buck from the Department of the Environment to the police and to the local authorities, and no one appears to take into account representations such as I and many other hon. Members are making on these matters.

Mr. Marks

The question of speed limits—what I might call the energy speed limits—will be discussed later this year when they come up for renewal or for dropping. As for metrication, we feel that the matter needs careful consideration. It is not urgent. We hope to make proposals as a basis for discussion later this year.

Mr. Mark Hughes

While one welcomes the lack of precipitancy by my hon. Friend in going for metrication through discussion, may I ask him to look carefully at the whole problem of achieving more flexibility in laying down speed limits? At the moment they appear to be rather rigidly enforced—not by the police, but in the way in which they are set up—in some parts of the country.

Mr. Marks

The general question of speed limits is a matter for consultation between my Department, local authorities and the police, and it is not as inflexible as my hon. Friend suggests.

Mr. Powell

Will the Under-Secretary confirm that there is no EEC obligation to carry out this conversion and that Ministers have undertaken to oppose the suggestion of any such obligation?

Mr. Marks

There is a draft directive on weights and measures which commits us to phase out certain units by the end of 1979. They include the yard and the ton but not the mile.

Sir John Hall

Although the Minister has no plans, it has obviously crossed his mind that at some time it may be necessary to change the signs to metric units. Has any estimate been made of the cost of doing so?

Mr. Marks

Yes; nearly every country which has not yet gone metric has decided to change. It will scarcely be possible for us to stand out against all that permanently. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"] The change of the speed limit signs, would have to be done fairly quickly and the cost would be about £4 million.