§ Mr. Russellasked the Minister of Transport why he has not sent a representative or an observer to the Restricted Group of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, set up under the auspices of the Council of Europe, to study the proposed code of road traffic rules now being worked out by the group.
§ Mr. MarplesThe Restricted Group of Experts constituted under the European Conference of Ministers of Transport is preparing co-ordinated traffic rules designed to have the full force of law for the countries concerned. I consider the cost to the U.K. of adopting at this stage continental traffic rules e.g. changing to driving on the right of the road, to be out of proportion to the benefit to be gained. Since the U.K. is not at present prepared to go any significant way towards changing its rules to continental practice, I think no useful purpose would be served in sending a representative or an observer to the Group. I will, however, study the Group's reports with interest.