§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Minister of Transport (1) if, in order to reduce the number of accidents to children, he will take steps to promote the availability of reflector discs, similar to those being distributed to children by the newspaper Sunday Mirror which can be purchased by parents for their children to wear or carry during hours of darkness;
- (2) if he will take steps to monitor the effectiveness of the reflector discs issued by the Sunday Mirror in reducing road accidents to children; and if he will make a statement;
- (3) whether, in order to reduce the number of road accidents to children, he will take steps to provide reflector discs for children to wear or carry in hours of darkness, as is done in Norway;
533 - (4) if he will carry out research within his Department on the effectiveness of reflector discs, worn or carried by children in hours of darkness, in the prevention of road accidents.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe safety value of wearing or carrying reflective items is considerable and well established. The Department promotes their use and also supports the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, through whose initiative the discs referred to by the hon. and learned Member were introduced to this country. I very much welcome the publicity and support given to this initiative by theSunday Mirror. I cannot undertake that the Department will itself supply reflective discs but I understand that the society can advise on sources of supply.