COMMONS AMENDMENT (Hansard, 28 October 2003)

HL Deb 28 October 2003 vol 654 cc142-3 142

§ 7 After Clause 81, insert the following new Clause—

§ "Driver licensing information

§ Information held in any form—

(a) by the Secretary of State under Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52), or
(a) by the Department of the Environment under Part 2 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/ 154 (N.I.I)),

(licensing of drivers of vehicles) may be disclosed for the purposes of the Schengen information system (within the meaning of section 81)."

§ Lord Filkin
My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 7. This amendment seeks to make it clear that it is possible to put information about lost or stolen driving licences on to the Schengen Information System. We believe that that is necessary both to comply with the convention and to help to protect British citizens whose driving licences might be used elsewhere. That will help to counter identity fraud.

143

§ Moved, That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 7.—(Lord Filkin.)

§ Lord Goodhart
My Lords, I just want to put one question very briefly. Whereas all the other amendments are relatively minor, this amendment is of some significance. I just wondered why the Government felt it necessary to introduce it at such a very late stage in the proceedings on the Bill.

§ Lord Filkin
My Lords, I think that we have done it simply because it was not apparent at an earlier stage that the existing statutory provisions were not sufficient. That is the short and nakedly honest answer.

§ On Question, Motion agreed to.