asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he will instruct the Road Research Laboratory to publish the accident rates for different makes of car.

No, Sir.

Is the noble Lord aware—[Laughter.] Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that from such evidence as the Road Research Laboratory has published it appears that the accident rate in one ordinary car exceeds that of another of the same size—[HON. MEMBERS: "Reading."]—by 65 per cent., and that the probability of this being due to chance is over 1,000 to 1 against? Is he further aware that certain cars are unnecessarily dangerous, and that by suppressing evidence on this important matter he is risking life and compromising the integrity and independence of Government science?

The Report of the Road Research Laboratory says that there was little difference between the rates for different makes of car of the same size, except that some makes of sports car had particularly high rates". In view of the correspondence which has passed between the hon. Member and me, I have asked the Laboratory to comment upon the point that he is now making. It tells me that, in the absence of particulars for vehicle mileage, age, particular models and other factors, including type and the use to which different vehicles are put, it is the opinion of the Laboratory that figures for makes would be misleading. And it observed that the difference in accident rates for cars other than sports cars would be accounted for by statistical variations resulting from the small size of some of the samples and by variations in other factors, such as types of car and vehicle mileage.