Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the outcome of the consultation exercise about the proposal to introduce mandatory seat belt wearing for adults in the rear seats of cars and taxis.
§ Mr. RifkindThe consultation period ran from 16 November 1990 to 31 January 1991. Some 1,100 copies of the consultation document were issued and to date 81 responses have been received. My Department has also received a number of letters on this subject in response to press reports, rather than to the consultation document itself.
There was overwhelming support for the proposal, including those from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the police, the motoring organisations and all 36 local authorities which responded.
I am today sending to all those who responded draft regulations, on which comments are invited by 12 April. I have placed copies in the Library. The intention is to lay the regulations before the House after Easter with a view to implementation on 1 July this year.