HC Deb 23 January 1997 vol 288 cc680-1W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has completed its assessment of the reliability of the research undertaken as part of the new car assessment programme; what information collated under the new car assessment programme will not be published by his Department; and when the research results for other models of vehicle covered by the new car assessment programme will be published. [12134]

Mr. Bowis

We are confident that the tests which we are carrying out give a reliable picture of how cars would perform in real accidents. Consumer information on all the tests and a more detailed Transport Research Laboratory research report will be published. Any information provided in confidence by manufacturers on their own internal test work will not be published.

The test programme is now being taken forward jointly by an international partnership called Euro NCAP. Apart from the Department of Transport, those involved presently include the Swedish National Road Administration, the Federation Internationale de I'Automobile, Royal Automobile Club, the Automobile Association and International Testing, representing consumer organisations.

Consumer information on the super-mini phase will be published under the Euro NCAP banner as will subsequent results for family cars this summer, and the Escort/Golf group in spring 1998.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1996,Official Report, column 417, how many vehicles have been purchased as part of the research being undertaken as a result of the new car assessment programme; and if he will name the vehicles, indicating how many of each were published and the average amount paid for each vehicle. [12135]

Mr. Bowis

To date, my Department has purchased 12 car models in connection with the new car assessment programme. The seven in the super-mini group are the Fiat Punto, Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio, Rover 100, Nissan Micra, Vauxhall Corsa and the VW Polo. The five in the family group are the BMW 318, Citroen Xantia, Peugeot 406, Rover 620 and the Vauxhall Vectra. Two of each model are purchased and the average amount paid for each vehicle is £8,500 for the super-mini group and £15,000 for the family group.

Additional car models will be funded by other partners in Euro NCAP for the family and subsequent groups.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1996,Official Report, column 416, when he expects the information collated under the new car assessment programme to be published. [12136]

Mr. Bowis

Consumer information on the front and side impact protection and pedestrian protection offered by the seven super-mini sized cars will be published on 4 February. The technical test results data will be published in a TRL report by the end of February. Copies of both documents will be placed in the Library.