§ 2.43 p.m.
§ Lord MONTAGU of BEAULIEUMy 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 whether they will instruct the Director 598 of the Motor Industry Research Association to publish their report relating to wind performance of the Model 70 Tricycle, omitting commercially confidential information as was done with their report on noise levels.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government are in no position to give instructions to the Motor Industry Research Association, which is a body entirely independent of the Government. Reports on tests carried out at the Government's request are the Government's property, but under the standard arrangements for these tests the Motor Industry Research Association's agreement to publication is necessary. As the responsible Minister said in another place on 7th May, it was at the request of the Motor Industry Research Association, made because other makes of vehicle were involved in the tests, that earlier information was limited to a synopsis. The Motor Industry Research Association was entirely satisfied with the accuracy of this synopsis, and that it did not omit any relevant information. Subsequently, the Director of the Motor Industry Research Association prepared copies of the original report, with certain deletions to safeguard commercial confidentiality. These were received by the Department of Health and Social Security on 6th May and the noble Lord will be pleased to learn that a copy was placed in your Lordships' Library on the following day.
§ Lord MONTAGU of BEAULIEUMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Is he aware of the enormous pressure there has been to get this report published, and will he confirm that I put down my Question before a copy was placed in the Library? In view of the fact that very few noble Lords have seen this report, which I myself had great difficulty finding today, will he confirm that the report states that the results in every case showed a deflection in excess of the European safety vehicle regulations and twice the recommended maximum value?
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, those observations are made, but one must take into account—and it has always been clearly set down—the fact that one needs to have experience of driving this particular type of vehicle and must be aware of its limitations.
§ Lord MONTAGU of BEAULIEUMy Lords, will the noble Lord further confirm that there were no fewer than 283 turnover accidents with this Model 70 recorded in the 1973–74 statistics?
§ Lard WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, I hope that the noble Lord and your Lordships will not feel that I am being unhelpful when I say that I have answered the noble Lord's request about the report being made available. I suggest that the last supplementary question and the previous one—and I do not say this in any way unkindly—are outside the main Question.