§ Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that solid rubber tyres are compared with pneumatic tyres immensely more injurious to road surfaces, he will secure the immediate rescission of the Regulation under the Heavy Motor Vehicles Act restricting the speed of motor vehicles weighing over two tons to 12 miles per hour, in so far as such restriction affects vehicles above that weight which are fitted on all wheels with pneumatic tyres; and whether he is aware that there is no corresponding restriction in the United States of America, where an appreciable percentage of goods traffic is borne on pneumatic-tyred lorries, to the benefit of transport and the saving of the road surfaces?
§ Sir E. GEDDESI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Simm) on 24th February, from which he will see that the whole question of the regulation of the speed of mechanically-propelled road vehicles is at present under consideration. The points raised in my hon. Friend's question have not been overlooked, but I must not be taken as accepting his statements.