§ Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many foreign lorries have been found to be overweight under the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act; and what percentage this was of foreign vehicles examined;
(2) how many foreign lorries found overweight under the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act exceeded the permitted limits by up to 5 per cent., between 368W 5 per cent. and 10 per cent., between 10 per cent. and 20 per cent. and over 20 per cent., respectively;
(3) how many foreign lorries have been examined under powers derived from the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act, 1971; and what percentage this is of foreign lorries entering Great Britain;
(4) if he will list the countries of origin of foreign vehicles found overweight under the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act.
§ Mr. PeytonIn the period 1st August to 31st October this year, 710 foreign vehicles have been examined under the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act, 1972, by my Department's enforcement officers. In addition, local authority weights and measures inspectors have also examined a substantial number. Altogether 206 were found to be overweight. This figure probably represents about 20 per cent. of all vehicles examined, and approximately 2 per cent. of all foreign vehicles — including unaccompanied trailers not subject to the Act—which entered the country during this period.
Of these overweight vehicles, 41 exceeded the permitted limits by up to 5 per cent., 61 between 5 and 10 per cent., 65 between 10 and 20 per cent., 37 by over 20 per cent. and two others by 80 per cent. Their countries of origin were as follows:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Holland
- Spain
- Switzerland.