HC Deb 27 June 1969 vol 785 cc322-4W
Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will categorise in the OFFICIAL REPORT each of the difficulties which emerge from his interim assessment of the effects of British Standard Time, together with an explanation, in each case, of the ways in which they were foreseen and taken into account by Her Majesty's Government during the passage of the British Standard Time Act.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

The interim assessment showed that the change in the hours of darkness had caused difficulty to outdoor industries, particularly agriculture and building, and to people, especially schoolchildren, who had to travel early in the morning. Throughout the passage of the British Standard Time Act, the Government acknowledged that such difficulties would arise, and the new time system was introduced for an experimental period in order that these difficulties, as well as the advantages, of British Standard Time could be properly assessed.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a complete schedule of the statistics of accidents in industry and agriculture on which he based his interim assessment of the effects of British Standard Time.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I have arranged for a copy of these figures to be placed in the Library.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish an analysis in the OFFICIAL REPORT of correspondence from members of the public examined during the course of his interim assessment of the effects of British Standard Time, showing the numbers of letters received in favour of, and opposed to, the continuation of the experiment;

(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a complete list of the representative organisations which submitted views which were examined during the course of his interim assessment of the effect of British Standard Time, together with a summary of the views expressed, in each case.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Between 1st October, 1968 and 1st April, 1969 my right hon. Friend received a total of 630 letters about British Standard Time. 543 of these were from members of the public; 48 from local authorities; and 39 from the representative organisations listed below. 40 of the letters were in favour of British Standard Time. The main reasons given for opposition to the new time system, both by individuals and by organisations, were the possibility of adverse effects on children going to school, the fear of an increase in road accidents, and the general inconvenience and discomfort caused by the dark mornings.

Following is the list:

Trade Organisations

  • Teignmouth Chamber of Commerce.
  • Godalming & District Chamber of Commerce.
  • Horticultural Trades Association.
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  • Aldershot & District Trades Council.
  • Yeovil & District Trades Council.
  • Western Counties Association of Chambers of Commerce.
  • National Farmers Union, Market Bosworth Branch.
  • Northants County Committee of the National Union of Agricultural Workers.
  • Electrical Trades Union, Birkenhead Branch.
  • National Federation of Retail Newsagents, Booksellers & Stationers (Bromley Branch).
  • The British Association of Sports Ground and Landscape Contractors Ltd.
  • Monmouth Trades Council.
  • Ossett Chamber of Commerce (Yorks.).
  • Bournemouth Trades Council.
  • Leicester & District Trades Council.
  • Hastings & District Trades Council.

Other Bodies

  • Henry Hinde School Parent Teacher Association.
  • South West Wales Federation of Townswomen's Guilds.
  • Folke & District Branch of the West Dorset Conservative Association.
  • Union of Post Office Workers (Headquarters).
  • Union of Post Office Workers (Cobham Branch).
  • Federation of Coventry Ratepayers & Residents Association.
  • Appleton & Stretton Conservative Association.
  • Mebyon Kernow.
  • Wood End Park Schools Parent Teacher Association.
  • Wolverhampton Branch Anti-Common Market League.
  • Agudas Israel Organisation of Great Britain.
  • Hillingdon Federation of Parent Teacher Associations.
  • Mothers' Union, St. James, Longton Branch.
  • The Labour Party—Central Norfolk Constituency.
  • National Federation of Women's Institutes (Loxwood and Alfold Branch).

Scottish Organisations

  • Scottish Housewives' Association.
  • Church of Scotland Presbytery of Hawick.
  • Locharbriggs Community Council.
  • Scottish National Party (Headquarters).
  • Scottish National Party (Hamilton Branch).
  • Corporation of Glasgow.
  • Clydebank Town Council.
  • Ayrshire Local Association of the Educational Institute of Scotland.