§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the new arrangements whereby on 1st April, 1971, his Department takes over from the Greater London Council 153W responsibility for the vehicle and driver licensing functions, he will take action to increase the number of road enforcement officers to deal with the evasion of the payment of road fund licences and the other 2,000 regulations affecting the use of road vehicles on the public highway.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsNo. Until vehicle licensing can be carried out from the new computerised centre at Swansea, the work will be undertaken by county and county borough councils as my right hon. Friend's agents. I am satisfied that they are at present in the best position to judge the weight of effort that should be directed to the enforcement of vehicle excise law within their area.