§ 62. Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, due to the fact that there are no Community regulations on the subject, he will obtain and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a summary of the domestic legislation or regulations of each member State of the European Economic Community concerning quality of water in rivers and watercourses.
§ Mr. Graham PageI am arranging for a report containing this information to be placed in the Library, since it is too long for insertion in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ 65. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he anticipates that the problems of container and extra heavy traffic using the roads in the County Borough of Ipswich will be affected by Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, and the implementation of the rules affecting transport in general and heavy vehicles in particular.
§ Mr. PeytonOn the question of E.E.C. policy towards heavy vehicles, I have nothing to add to my answer of 24th November to the hon. Member. The prospective growth of goods traffic in the Ipswich area is being taken into account in the current Ipswich land use/transportation study.-[Vol. 826, c.361.]
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§ 66. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that the Commission of the European Economic Community is drawing up proposals to improve road safety by tightening up the issue of driving licences, introducing the recognition of driving licences of the drivers of each country of the Six, enforcing stricter checks on drunken driving and a harmonisation of the rules for compulsory technical inspection of vehicles; and what action he proposes to take to adopt these measures in Great Britain.
§ Mr. PeytonAll these matters are at different stages of development in the E.E.C. Initial proposals by the Commission may be substantially amended before they are accepted. Any necessary adaptation of our own procedures and regulations is the subject of consultation at the right time.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he is aware that the Council of the European Economic Community have adopted harmonisation on car brakes, that all new vehicles sold to the Community after 1st October, 1974, must be equipped with dual brakes, and trucks and trailers will have to pass additional tests; and to what extent he has taken or intends taking similar action in Great Britain;
(2) whether he is aware that the Commission of the European Economic Community has issued a draft directive to establish standard weights and dimensions for trucks of 11.5 metric tons maximum axle weight; and to what extent he has adopted or intends adopting such regulations in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. PeytonAll these matters are at different stages of development in the E.E.C. Initial proposals by the Commission may be substantially amended before they are accepted. Any necessary adaptation of our own procedures and regulations is the subject of consultation at the right time.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that the Commission of the European Economic Community have proposed a directive to counter water pollution by establishing a standard of 112W biodegradability of laundry detergents; and whether he will initiate such a directive in this country.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerHigher standards than those required by the proposed directive have been achieved in the United Kingdom over some years by a voluntary agreement between Government and industry.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he will not publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the general effect of the implementation of the European Economic Community rules and regulations, European Coal and Steel Community rules and regulations E1-E1331 and any other that may fall within his ministerial responsibilities.
§ Mr. PeytonIt would be impracticable to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a summary of the effect of all these E.E.C. and E.C.S.C. rules and regulations. If the hon. Member would like information about any particular instrument, I will gladly supply it.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he will not publish details of the communication he has received from the Royal Automobile Club on matters connected with the motor industry on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, together with his reply, in the OFFICIAL REPORT; and why he will not agree to invite representatives of the Royal Automobile Club to discuss these problems with himself.
§ Mr. PeytonI see no reason to occupy pages of the OFFICIAL REPORT with correspondence of this kind. The answer to the second part of the Question is that I met representatives of the Royal Automobile Club on 10th November.