HL Deb 04 July 1962 vol 241 cc1233-4

2.44 p.m.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the provisions of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations, 1950, have yet been revised so as to prevent a person who has passed a driving test on a milk float from being entitled to a full licence for driving all vehicles in Group A.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)

My Lords, my right honourable friend has not yet completed his review of these Regulations, which have wide ramifications. This review is comprehensive and goes a great deal further than the particular aspect of the present driving licence grouping system about which the noble Lady is concerned. My right honourable friend hopes to be in a position to circulate his proposals for comment by interested parties within the next month. He will include proposals for improvement of the present grouping system. The noble Lady's point is well in his mind.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I am very much obliged to the Minister for his Answer. It is now fifteen months since I put this Question down and was assured that the Minister was giving the matter his careful consideration as to whether any change should be made in the Regulations concerning electrically propelled vehicles. Are we to understand that, as this consideration is not complete within fifteen months, the pace of Her Majesty's Government corresponds to that of a milk float?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, it depends of course on whether the noble Lady is referring to the larger or smaller type of milk float referred to in the Regulations. I would say this. Our considerations have obviously taken longer than we thought they would at the time when I answered the noble Lady's Question—I think it was last April. Quite frankly, the matter has proved to be a good deal more complicated than we had thought. I think the noble Lady would agree that in this rather complicated matter of groupings, the relationship of one type of vehicle to another, and the Regulations as a whole, it is desirable to get the thing right and not to do it in dribs and drabs, which would probably cause considerable confusion.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, can the noble Lord say whether his right honourable friend is experiencing any difficulty with the breathalyser tests for drivers of milk floats?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I think that might well be the subject of a separate Question.