§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the police powers to remove or clamp motor vehicles not displaying a valid road tax disc. [1022]
§ Mr. MichaelPowers contained in the Vehicle Excise Duty (Immobilisation, Removal and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1997 enable the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to authorise agents of the Department of Transport to clamp and impound vehicles evading vehicle excise duty. I understand that a three-month pilot scheme was successfully conducted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency last year and that consideration is currently being given on the way forward. There are no plans to give the police powers to remove or clamp untaxed vehicles.