§ Mrs. Fennerasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute emergency procedures to bypass the computer at Swansea in view of the failure to issue driving licences.
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§ Mr. FowlerI deeply regret the action being taken at Swansea.
People who have sent an application to Swansea to renew a driving licence can continue to drive for a year even though their licence is out of date, provided that they satisfy the normal legal requirements. Unfortunately, those who have applied for their first provisional licence cannot, as the law stands, start to drive until they receive it. I fully recognise the difficulties this is causing and I am considering the position urgently.