§ Mr. Alec Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the centralisation of vehicle licensing.
§ Mr. MulleyThe first stage will start on 1st October. Vehicles already on the road will not be affected, but those coming on to the road on or after 1st October will be dealt with under the new system. Eighty-one new local vehicle licensing offices will register all new vehicles and issue licences for them. They will be open from 17th September for advance applications. Details of each registration will be forwarded by the local vehicle licensing offices to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre, Swansea. Licences will be renewable subsequently either by post from the Swansea centre, or over the counter locally. Full information about the new arrangements, with addresses of the local offices, will be publicised in September before the changeover occurs.