§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 29 January 2001,Official Report, column 9W, on driving licences, what discretion (a) he and (b) the DVLA has to waive the two year rule regarding the period during which a test pass certificate is valid as the basis for the issuing of a full driving licence. [148652]
§ Mr. HillNeither the Secretary of State, nor the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, has any discretion to waive the two year validity period for a driving test pass certificate. This period is fixed by section 89(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended by the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information System) Act 1989).
The practical test pass certificate carries a clear warning to candidates that they should change the certificate for a full licence within two years of the date of the test; otherwise they will lose the entitlement.