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20.
This new Act differs from the Shops Act, 1950, which continues
to be unpopular and which conflicting case law has made sensible
enforcement of a large part of it virtually impossible. For instance,
legal opinions have stated that you can buy razor blades at certain
times to cut corns but not to shave with; that you can buy butter but
not margarine on Sundays; that you can buy all manner of foods as
refreshments out of normal shop trading hours, but not these same foods
if they are not for refreshment - meaning an immediate meal. It is
like 'Alice in Wolderland' except that it is real.
The prolonged freeze-up in the early part of the year caused
a serious shortage of all solid fuels, particularly the premium
smokeless fuels for which people commonly had to wait six weeks.
Because the cold would have produced more suffering than the smoke, the
prohibition on burning coal in the smoke control areas was relaxed
during the fuel crisis.
The Government set up a Committee to enquire into the solid fuel
supply and the smoke control programme, A White Paper was issued which
concluded that the supply of solid smokeless fuel for open fire grates
would not meet future demands. Later information modified this
pessimism and the industry is now confident that it can meet demands
provided that householders in future smoke control areas are given
freedom of choice of appliances. This will be the pattern for new
Areas. Grants will be given towards more expensive fire grates,
electric, gas and oil heaters. The cost of the programme will therefore
be increased considerably but those persons who instal openable stoves
will eventually show a saving over the open fire because of the greater
efficiency of the former appliances. Likewise there will be a further
diminution in air pollution resulting from the decrease in the amount of
fuel burnt.
The next problem to tackle in this field is the pollution caused
by vehicle exhausts. The present scale of action by Police and
Ministry of Transport officials, under the Motor Vehicle (Construction
and Use) Regulations, is merely scratching the surface. This is not
their fault for, whatever their sympathies, clean air is not their
business. Furthermore the above regulations are not really suited to
the control of air pollution, being designed for other purposes. In
my opinion completely new powers, enforceable by Local Authorities, are
necessary for effective control.