HC Deb 16 May 1973 vol 856 cc1495-6
15. Mr. Molloy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of unlicensed vehicles on the roads.

Mr. Speed

Enforcement effort is being increased, particularly in the London area. In the longer term the centralisation of vehicle licensing will make it easier to identify unlicensed vehicles and open up new ways of dealing with them.

Mr. Molloy

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is grave disquiet throughout the country at the fact that far too few people license their motor cars? Is he further aware that a survey by the director of the highways department of the GLC in my constituency, which suffers from a large influx of parked vehicles, revealed that 10 per cent. were untaxed, so that it is not unreasonable to assume that this is going on throughout the country, with all the ramifications, such as the likelihood that they do not have an MoT test, or proper insurance? Will he consider calling a conference of local authorities responsible for taxation, the police and his Department, to remedy this situation?

Mr. Speed

No. With respect, I do not think that a conference is the answer. This year we are increasing the number of enforcement staff in London by 150—this is the key to the problem in the short term—and by 48 in other parts of the country. I am aware of these problems. We are now providing the bodies on the ground to deal with it.

Sir G. Nabarro

But do bodies on the ground necessarily produce results? Has my hon. Friend not learned from the increase in the bureaucracy, for example, what bodies on the ground connote? Will he take a leaf from the book of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, who has succeeded in reducing television licence evasion by as much as 60 per cent. during the last two years, whereas the motor vehicle licensing position has gone exactly the opposite way?

Mr. Speed

Whether bodies on the ground help or not, I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that last year the number of reports dealt with by court procedure or mitigated penalties was 9 per cent. up on 1971. We must do better than that, but these 200 additional enforcement staff will make an impact in the short term.

In the long term, the Swansea vehicle licensing centre can crack this problem.

Mr. Lipton

Why not simplify the whole procedure by abolishing car licences and stepping up the tax on petrol?

Mr. Speed

That is another matter, which is for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and not myself.