§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in making 560W 1975–76 of central and local government expenditure in Great Britain on road construction, road maintenance, road administration, traffic police and road accident prevention, respectively; and what was the estimated cost in each year of accidents to the extent to which they are not covered by insurance.
§ Dr. GilbertThe information is set out in the table below.
I regret that I have no information about police costs, and that information on the other subjects is not yet available for 1975–76.
regulations to provide exemptions for the statutory requirement to wear seat belts, he will exclude police officers travelling in motor vehicles on duty in cases where (1) they are in charge of violent prisoners, (2) they are engaged in the pursuit of other vehicles with a view to stopping those vehicles and arresting their occupants and (3) in such other cases where in the judgment of any police officer it is essential to his duties to enforce the law and/or prevent crimes that he should be able to leave his vehicle speedily.
§ Dr. GilbertI propose to provide for the exemption of police officers in circumstances where the wearing of belts would impede the performance of their duties.