§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has reached a decision on seeking to change the law relating to tyre tread depths; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI have decided to introduce regulations which will maintain the existing minimum tyre tread depth requirement of 1 mm. over three-quarters of the width, but I will also require that the remaining quarter should have some visible tread pattern. I also intend to introduce regulations which will require new replacement tyres to meet the same international standards—that is ECE regulation 30—as original tyres fitted to new cars, and to control the manufacturing standards of retreaded tyres by requiring them to meet the criteria laid down in British Standard BS AU 144b 1977.