§ Mr. Peter Reesasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign vehicle operators have had their international road haulage permits withdrawn in the years 1975, 1976 and 1977 in consequence of their lorries being found on or after entry into the United Kingdom to be overloaded by his Department's examiners.
§ Mr. HoramOffences involving foreign lorries in the United Kingdom, including overloading, are reported to their home Governments, under the terms of bilateral agreements, for action under national laws, which may include withdrawal of international road haulage permits where these are required. Repeated offences involving the vehicles of six French companies led to the French authorities reducing allocations of permits to them by 30 per cent. for periods of one to three months in 1977. The Spanish authorities also suspend permit issues for repeated offences, but details are not known.