HL Deb 20 November 1963 vol 253 c330
THE EARL OF GAINSBOROUGH

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how far the amendment to the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1955, Regulation 79(a), which came into operation on January 1, 1962, has been effective in reducing or eliminating this nuisance arising from the emission of smoke from the exhaust pipes of vehicles operated by compression ignition engines.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)

My Lords, there is no means of telling how effective the amendment in itself has been in reducing this nuisance. But the companion regulation, which requires that the excess fuel device must be so fitted that it cannot be used when the vehicle is on the move, is being effectively enforced.

THE EARL OF GAINSBOROUGH

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his Answer.

VISCOUNT BRENTFORD

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend, in pursuance of that, whether this is not an indication that the Regulation is not really being successful because the amount of diesel fumes being emitted from these vehicles appears to be growing more and more?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, while it would be entirely wrong of me not to agree that this is a problem which still requires a great deal of improvement, I can at least tell my noble friend that at the last check, which was on September 18 this year, when just over 25,000 vehicles were checked, there was some small improvement amongst the element of them which were what one might call "smokers"—something of the order of one in 10, where previously it had been one in 8.