§ Mr. Les Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware of the difficulties likely to face both sides of the road transport industry as a result of the implementation in the United Kingdom on 1st January 1976 of EEC regulations concerning commercial vehicle drivers' hours, and tachographs; and if he will make a statement in his policy towards this matter.
§ Dr. GilbertI am well aware of these difficulties. Following approaches from both sides of the industry I am informing the Commission and our EEC partners that we shall seek a deferment of the application of the regulation on drivers' hours to journeys within the United Kingdom. On the fitment of tachographs, the legal position is different, but on that, too, I am making representations to the Commission in order to find means of overcoming the difficulties which we face. I shall be holding a joint meeting early next month with both sides of the road transport industry to discuss the details involved in these representations.