§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures his Department intends to introduce to(a) strengthen vehicle licensing controls and (b) improve the traceability of the owners of abandoned cars. [62665]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Government is actively pursuing measures to improve the accuracy of the vehicle record, which would enable the authorities to trace more easily the keepers of abandoned cars, as well as those involved in crime.
The Finance Bill currently before Parliament includes enabling powers for changes to vehicle taxation, making possible a system of continuous registration which will ensure that the registered keeper of a vehicle cannot avoid responsibility for licensing it. There will be consultation with the motor trade and motorists' groups before any changes are implemented. The legislation will not affect the current system of Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) under which keepers who tell DVLA that they are taking their vehicles off the road are not obliged to tax them.
The Government has also recently announced that it has set up a Modernising Vehicle Registration Implementation Board which will take forward work on the recommendations of a review of the vehicle registration system that the Department undertook in partnership with the insurance industry.