§ Sir Keith SpeedTo ask the Secretary of state for Transport (1) if he will publish figures showing how much the Transport research laboratory is budgeting to spend for 1992–93 and the next two years on research into secondary safety systems for motor-cycle riders; and if he will list the topics of research that are currently under way at the Transport Research Laboratory in respect of secondary vehicle safety systems for motor-cycle riders;
(2) if he will publish figures showing his Department's budget for 1992–93 and each of the next two years on the vehicle safety research programme and the components of that programme covering accident investigations and surveys, primary safety vehicle construction standards, motor-cycle safety and injury reduction to vehicle occupants and pedestrians.
§ Mr. Kenneth Carlisle[holding answer 2 November 1992]: The Department's planned expenditure on road safety and environmental research, as reported in the Department of Transport 1992 report, incorporates expenditure on secondary safety systems for motor-cycle riders, as below: 164W
Year £ million 1992–93 1.2 1993–94 1.2 1994–95 1.0 Current topics being researched by the Transport Research Laboratory are improved helmet design standards; leg protection specifications; air bag restraint systems; and mathematical modelling of motor-cycling impacts.
These figures can be placed in the context of an overall vehicle safety research programme, as follows.
1992–93 £ million 1993–94 £ million 1994–95 £ million Accident investigations and surveys 0.8 1.1 0.7 Primary safety vehicle construction standards 1.0 0.9 1.3 Motorcycle safety 1.4 1.2 1.0 Injury reduction to vehicle occupants and pedestrians 2.5 2.4 2.8 Total vehicle safety research 5.7 5.6 5.8 In both the tables, the figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 include the estimated costs of new research proposals.