Seat Belts (Hansard, 5 May 1981)

§ 1. Mr. van Straubenzee
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has received as to the compulsory wearing of seat belts from the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Sir George Young)
None recently, but the president of the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention wrote to my right hon. Friend on 6 July 1979 expressing dismay at the loss of the Road Traffic (Seat Belts) Bill with the dissolution of Parliament earlier in that year.

§ Mr. van Straubenzee
In considering this or any other advice that he may receive from the commission, will my hon. Friend agree that this is pre-eminently an area in which progress should be made by precept and example and not by legislation?

§ Sir George Young
On 99 issues out of 100, I agree with my hon. Friend's perception of what the Tory Party stands for, but this is the hundreth issue, and I have to agree that compulsion is fitting. It is worth noting that in the Division on the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Kelvingrove (Mr. Carmichael) in July 1979, of those Conservatives who voted, a majority voted for the Bill.

§ Mr. Arthur Lewis
One of the claims of the supporters of the compulsory use of seat belts is the alleged cost of the accidents and the hospital treatment. Will the Minister refer to the written question which the Secretary of State answered last week, showing that 20 times as much money is expended on accidents and illness arising from smoking, drinking and various other causes? Perhaps the pessimists will bear that in mind.

§ Sir George Young
No simple solution is available in the case of the illnesses associated with the activities mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, whereas seat belts have been tried and tested and found to be successful in other countries.

§ Mr. Moate
Does the Minister agree that no other single practical measure that can be taken would have such an effect on the reduction of loss of life and serious injury on the road? Does he also agree that there is something illogical about the attitude of those people who proclaim the merits of seat belts yet will not support the single practical measure that can be taken to ensure a high rate of wear of seat belts?

§ Sir George Young
I have made clear my own position. It is worth adding that my hon. Friend the Minister for Health and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State would also, in a free vote, vote for a Bill providing for the compulsory use of seat belts.

§ Mr. Ennals
May I say how warmly I welcome the statement made by the Minister, and the further statement on behalf of his colleagues? Is the Minister aware that not only the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention but the Royal College of Surgeons, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Automobile Association and many other organisations deeply regret the position taken by the Secretary of State for Transport? Will the Secretary of State for Social Services use his good offices to ensure a more flexible attitude when the issue is debated in the House of Lords on a motion by Lord Nugent?

§ Sir George Young
I welcome the right hon. Gentleman's support for the existence of a second Chamber.

§ Mr. Rhodes James
Is my hon. Friend aware that precept, example and the expenditure of a considerable amount of public money on exhortation have not solved the problem, and that all the evidence that is given to hon. Members, to the medical profession, to the ambulance services and to the police, leads inexorably in the direction that compulsion is absolutely essential?

§ Sir George Young
I endorse what my hon. Friend has just said.