§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied that the new rules he introduced for the allocation of international road haulage permits for British hauliers have resulted in more firms being able to participate in the scheme.
§ Mr. RidleyYes. Three hundred and four newcomers have received an allocation of permits in the last 12 months. The total number of allocations is 6 per cent. higher than a year ago.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether any restriction is imposed on foreign hauliers entering the United Kingdom by issuing annual quotas on a restrictive basis; and what countries are affected.
§ Mr. RidleyOur agreements with Austria, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Yugoslavia provide for an annual quota of general road haulage journeys in each direction. I am prepared to concede these on a mutual basis. Similar agreements exist with the Republic of Ireland and Turkey, but the quotas are sufficient to accommodate demand on both sides.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make representations to those countries in the European Community which continue to limit the number of foreign vehicles entering their territory by imposing annual quotas.
§ Mr. RidleyI argued very strongly for liberalisation of road haulage in the Community at the Council of Transport Ministers on 20 December 1983, and I shall continue to do so at every suitable opportunity. Other national delegations wanted harmonisation of lorry weights as the price for conceding liberalisation of road haulage.