HC Deb 18 July 1973 vol 860 cc165-6W
Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he is aware that British tyre manufacturers dispose of as scrap new and remoulded tyres containing production faults, which render them unfit for sale to the public, but which are recovered from scrap heaps and sold for use on private and commercial vehicles; and whether he will now take action to prohibit this resale of unsafe tyres, or make an order for their destruction at the factory;

(2) if he will now make a statement on the results of his inquiry, held in April 1973, into sub-standard tyres, known as "killer tyres", imported from Europe and elsewhere.

Mr. Anthony Grant

I am advised that production methods in the United Kingdom of British tyre manufacturers who make both new and remoulded tyres pro- vide for the mutilation of all tyres unfit for sale to the public before disposal as scrap. I hope that it will be possible to make a further statement shortly about means of preventing the sale of sub-standard tyres reaching distributors from other sources.