§ Mr. Awdryasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give official aproval to tachographs currently marketed in the United Kingdom so as to enable British road transport operators to use existing instruments until 1980.
§ Mr. PeytonYes. I shall seek the necessary powers at a convenient legislative opportunity. I expect that it will be possible to approve all those instruments currently marketed in the United Kingdom which record a vehicle's movement, speed and distance travelled, in relation to the time of day. Existing powers in the Transport Act, 1968, could not be used without simultaneously making fitment compulsory, which is not my intention. As a result of the Government's obtaining a one-year deferment, the first date for compulsory fitment for EEC purposes will be 1st January, 1976, when instruments will have to be fitted to all new vehicles of appropriate classes, and to those carrying dangerous goods.