§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to ease the transfer of cherished number plates; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyWe propose to reduce from five years to one the period that owners of stolen vehicles with a cherished number have to wait before they can use the number again. Details will be given to those able to benefit once work is completed on devising the most cost-effective implementation scheme. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently announced a consultation exercise on proposals for the Government to sell registration numbers not in use. This would make acquiring attractive numbers much easier.