§ Mr. G. Darlingasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent under his vehicle testing scheme reputable firms and institutions, with large numbers of commercial vehicles and with well-equipped repair and 299W maintenance garages, will be allowed to inspect their own vehicles and guarantee that they are roadworthy.
§ Mr. NugentI am advised that the appointment of firms or their employees as authorised examiners for the sole purpose of testing their own or their firms' vehicles would be open to challenge as ultra vires the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1956; we are unable, therefore, to make provision for such an arrangement in the regulations which will govern the detailed operation of the vehicle testing scheme. On the other hand, where an operator is providing a testing service for the general public, we shall not require him to submit to another examiner any of his own vehicles which are subject to test.