§ Mr. Powellasked the Minister of Transport what steps are taken to verify that the signature on a driving licence is the same as that of the person who underwent the relevant driving test; whether she is satisfied that measures to prevent the applicant for a driving licence being impersonated at the driving test are adequate; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Carmichael:There are at present no powers to enable the check to which the right hon. Member refers to be carried out. The examiners, however, carry out other checks to prevent impersonation in the driving test which it would not be in the interests of the public to disclose. We have no reason to believe that these checks are inadequate, but, as my right hon. Friend has already told interested bodies, she proposes to strengthen them by introducing a regulation to require a driving test candidate to produce his driving licence to the examiner at the time of the test and to sign the examiner's attendance book.