Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the motorcycle industry on encouraging the use of protective equipment to reduce the severity of collision related injury.

As set out in The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998, every person driving or riding a motorcycle on the road must wear a helmet. The Department’s safety helmet assessment and rating programme (SHARP) aims to change riders’ attitudes and habits to helmet safety and in so doing contribute to a reduction in the number of motorcyclists killed and seriously injured on UK roads.

The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with representatives of the motorcycle industry but the Department routinely engages with them in the development of its policies. There are currently no plans to mandate the wearing of protective clothing for motorcyclists as the Government believes that the use of protective clothing should remain a matter for individual choice, rather than become a legislative requirement.