§ 60. Mr. MELLERasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a disabled person is required, before obtaining a motor-driver's licence, to take out a provisional licence at a cost of 5s., in addition to paying a testing fee of 10s. and, if approved, taking out an ordinary driving licence at a further cost of 5s.; and will he consider waiving the extra charges where an application is made by a disabled soldier or sailor?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONThe hon. Member appears to be under some misapprehension with regard to the issue of drivers' licences to disabled persons. No test is required if the applicant was the holder of a driver's licence when Section 5 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, came into force and declares that he was driving without danger to the public during the six months immediately preceding that date; and where the applicant has to undergo a test no provisional licence is required unless the applicant is unable to drive and wishes to learn to do so in order to pass the test. The cases, therefore, in which the applicant is called upon to pay 5s. for a provisional licence and 10s. for the test before he can obtain his driver's licence are not frequent. I do not feel that I can waive the fee for the test as this does not usually exceed the actual cost to the licensing authority. The fee for the licences is laid down in the Act and could only be changed by amending legislation.
§ Major COHENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that disabled men are very grateful indeed to him for the way in which he has met them?
§ Mr. MORRISONI am very much obliged to the hon. and gallant Gentleman.