§ Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider issuing further regulations extending the existing obligations on road tanker vehicles carrying dangerous or toxic loads to carry markings to show particulars of their cargoes.
§ Mr. LaneThe labelling of packages and vehicles used to carry certain inflammable liquids and corrosive substances is already subject to regulations. My right hon. Friend intends to make similar regulations for organic peroxides later this year, and the labelling of other dangerous106W substances will be dealt with as soon as possible.
§ Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider issuing further regulations to road tanker vehicle drivers to carry in their documentation sufficient information to enable the emergency services to deal with any threat to public health and safety which might occur from spillage of the cargoes carried in these vehicles.
§ Mr. LaneMy right hon. Friend intends to make new regulations later this year for controlling the operation of vehicles conveying corrosive substances and inflammable liquids by road. Home Office proposals for the content of these regulations, on which comments by outside organisations are now awaited, include a requirement that all such vehicles should carry information on the measures needed to deal with any spillage of the substance being carried. This requirement will later be extended to other classes of dangerous substances.
§ Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the report of the joint working party of Government and Chemical Industries Association representatives, which is studying the problems created by the overturning of, and the involvement in collision of, road tanker vehicles whose cargoes are spilled from these occurrences, causing detriment to public health and safety.
§ Mr. LaneA study of emergency schemes for hazardous freight has been carried out, at my right hon. Friend's request, by a working party of the Chemical Industries Association. The working party's proposals are being considered by the chemical industry and by the Government Departments concerned. A further announcement will then be made.