§ 18. Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there is any limit on the number of consecutive provisional driving licences which can be held by a person who has not passed a driving test.
§ Dr. GilbertNo, Sir.
§ Mr. TrotterIs the Minister aware that on Tyneside recently a motorist who was convicted of a number of motoring offences was found to have driven for over 20 years continuously on provisional licences? Is there not, therefore, a case for requiring such people to show reasonable cause before the issue of further provisional licences when it appears that they are deliberately evading the test regulations? Is not the present situation making a farce of those regulations?
§ Dr. GilbertI am not aware of the particular case to which the hon. Gentleman has referred, but prior to 1970 it was possible for a licensing authority to refuse a third successive provisional licence if the holder had not taken a test, or booked for one in the next six months. Those provisions were virtually never invoked. On the basis of the experience of the limit before 1970, it is very unlikely that there would be any significant gain in road safety, but I shall look at the matter.