HL Deb 22 November 1984 vol 457 cc681-3

3.15 p.m.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the statistical analysis of lives saved and serious injury prevented since the introduction of compulsory seat-belts is now completed; and if so whether they will make a statement.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, recently published figures show that fatal and serious injuries to front-seat occupants of cars and light vans in the first six months of 1984 were 20 per cent. fewer than in the first six months of 1982. The department will continue to publish information throughout the three-year period of the regulations. The 1983 edition of Road Accidents Great Britain and a specially prepared report by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory will both be available shortly.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that helpful Answer and observe that I shall look forward to seeing those statistics published shortly. Can my noble friend say what progress is being made in achieving uniformity of fastenings and whether there is an intention by Ministers to propose in the EEC that this uniformity should be made general throughout Europe by a suitable regulation being proposed by the Commission?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I am afraid that my noble friend has got me there. I am not aware of any progress being made in the uniformity of fastenings, or of what the EEC have said. If I may, I shall write to my noble friend when I get this information.

Lord Diamond

My Lords, I am anxious for information if the Minister has it now; if not, perhaps he will follow the new procedure and make it available. I should like to know whether any progress has been made in adding back seat-belts to the regulations covering front seat-belts.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, in regard to rear seat-belts, we are awaiting the report from the Select Committee on Road Safety, which is expected in mid-December, about the compulsory fitting of rear seat-belts. However, we have no plans at the moment to extend compulsory wearing to rear seat-belts.

Lord Underhill

My Lords, is the Minister able to confirm that the figures for observance of the seat-belt wearing law are as high as they were the last time we were given this information, which was then most encouraging? Also, are there any figures as to the number of prosecutions for not observing the seat-belt law? If so, how many of those were by direct action and how many were as a result of motorists being stopped for other offences?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, we are pleased that, as far as we know, the observance is still 95 per cent. In 1983 there were 6,826 prosecutions. I gather that nearly all, if not all, of them arose from stopping for another offence at the same time.

Lord Monson

My Lords, would the noble Lord agree that since seat-belt wearing became compulsory preliminary statistics show that many more cyclists and pedestrains have been killed or injured by over-confident motorists, as many of us feared would happen and indeed as anyone with the slightest knowledge of human psychology could have foreseen?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

No, my Lords; I would not agree.

Lord Spens

My Lords, are there any statistics on the number of persons who have been killed in accidents as a result of wearing seat-belts?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I have no statistics with me. This will be a subject in the report when it is published, but at this stage we do not believe that there is any significant number that could be attributed to wearing seat-belts.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that his answer about the possibility of uniformity in fastening was somewhat disappointing, and that this is an important aspect of seat-belt wearing both for the convenience of wearers and for their safety in the event of an accident where a quick release is important? Would he be good enough to give an assurance to the House that he will as a Minister pursue this matter and in particular look at the possibility of promoting it as a regulation in the EEC?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I am not sure that I can give the second assurance the noble Lord is requiring. I will certainly give the assurance that we shall look at the matter.

Lord Soames

My Lords, will my noble friend bear in mind in this context, before he writes to my noble friend Lord Nugent, that what matters is that the fastenings should be effective? To invite the Commission to make every member country of the Community have exactly the same fastening seems to me to be encouraging the Commission to make just the sort of regulation which it is often brought into ridicule for making.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I will certainly bear in mind the noble Lord's remarks.