§ 60. Mrs. Kellett-Bowmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider reducing the cost of a one-year licence for a disabled driver to correspond with that for an able-bodied driver.
§ Mr. PeytonI would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Stirling and Falkirk Burghs (Mr. Ewing) earlier today.
§ Mr. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the medical conditions which make it necessary for a driver to undergo an annual 127W medical examination before his driving licence can be renewed;
(2) how many driving licences are issued on an annual basis because the holders suffer from a medical condition;
(3) how many registered disabled persons have to apply annually for the renewal of their driving licence.
§ Mr. PeytonA full driving licence may be restricted to one year when a driver suffers from a medical condition which may deteriorate quickly. The decision is based on medical advice in the light of the driver's medical history and condition; a medical examination may or may not be held. In practice one-year licences are issued almost exclusively to drivers suffering from controlled epilepsy; some 4,300 such licences were issued in the year ending 30th November 1972. It is not known how many of the applicants were registered disabled persons.