HC Deb 26 February 1997 vol 291 c270W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review his policy in respect of children's travel on school trips on coaches built prior to 1988; and if he will make a statement. [17687]

Mr. Bowis

From 10 February next year, coaches first used before 1 October 1988 will have to be provided with seat belts if they take children on organised trips. These older coaches have been allowed an extra year to have belts fitted for children because it was recognised that some of them would require extensive strengthening work in order to meet the new requirements. Minibuses and coaches already have one of the best safety records of any form of road transport and the new seat belt regulations will improve this even further. I have no plans to review the policy.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce an inspection system to ensure that seat belts used in coaches and minibuses comply with EEC directive EEC/76/115. [17688]

Mr. Bowis

No. Not all seat belts in coaches and minibuses have to comply with the seat belt anchorage directive EEC/76/115.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the inspection regime in respect of recent seat belt legislation applicable to coaches and minibuses. [17689]

Mr. Bowis

We take the issue of the adequacy of seat belt installations very seriously and have issued technical advice on what we consider to be "best practice" for seat belt installers. We have also stressed the importance of good installation in advice we have issued for users and operators.

I have decided that these belts should be examined as a part of the annual MOT test and we shall be consulting on the details of this. I have also decided that the Vehicle Inspectorate will include the condition of minibus and coach seat belts in the other enforcement checks they carry out during the year.

Ms Walley

To ask the secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a requirement for new minibuses and van conversions to be fitted with seat belt anchorage systems which have passed Vehicle Certification Agency witnessed teats to M2 level. [17690]

Mr. Bowis

Manufacturers of line built vehicles already have seat belt anchorages approved using a destructive test on an example of their vehicle. Such an approval requirement would be inappropriate for low-volume or specialist conversions.