§ Lord Sefton of Garstonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many cars are exempt from paying road tax and displaying discs and for what reasons. [HL1052]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)Approximately 1.3 million vehicles of all types are exempt from paying Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Exemption from VED is restricted to vehicles used for humanitarian, emergency or police purposes, vehicles used by or for the severely disabled, agricultural vehicles used for short distances only, vehicles over 25 years old and diplomatic, consular and visiting forces vehicles. All of these are required to license annually and to display a (NIL) VED disc.
Twenty thousand vehicles are registered to Crown bodies. These are exempt from VED and the requirement to display a VED disc, but must display a Crown Exemption Certificate.
Foreign vehicles (licensed in their country of origin) on short visits to the UK, vehicles being exported and those on their way to a prearranged roadworthiness test are exempt from VED and from displaying a Vehicle Excise Duty disc.