§ Mr. AncramI beg to move amendment No. 10, in page 44, line 22, leave out '16' and insert '—(a) 14'.
§ Mr. AncramI hope that the two amendments will at least find favour with my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro). They represent the response that I promised last week to his plea for a relaxation on the total prohibition on the driving on roads of horsedrawn and suchlike vehicles by children under the age of 16. It is now proposed that children between 14 and 16 should be able to drive such vehicles provided that they are supervised by someone of at least 18. This is as far as we can go for road safety reasons. I remind the House that prior to the introduction of the Bill the age limit was 14 and that we are returning to that age as the bottom line. It must be remembered that the provision applies to vehicles that are being driven on a road and not on land on which there is no public right of passage and, therefore, no hazard to any road users. I hope that the amendments will commend themselves to the House.
§ Sir Hector MonroI thank the Minister for listening sympathetically to my remarks last week and for fulfilling his promise to table amendments. The Government's amendments have gone most of the way towards meeting my wishes.
§ Mr. Bill WalkerI thank the Minister, too, for I supported my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) on this issue last week. The Government's amendments will be appreciated in my constituency where the driving of horsedrawn and suchlike vehicles has become a growth activity.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§
Amendment made: No. 11, in page 44, line 23, at end insert—
; or
(b) 16 years of age (not being such child as is mentioned in paragraph (a) above) to drive that vehicle on a road other than under the immediate supervision of a person of 18 years of age or more".—[Mr. Ancram.]