§ Mr. Roderickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements exist for the allocation or transfer to vehicle owners of vehicle registration numbers and letters of their own choice; what use is made of this facility; and whether he is satisfied with the operation of the arrangements.
§ Dr. GilbertThe head of a diplomatic mission may choose for his official car any number which is not in use already—a service which is not much called for and is effectively free. The owners of new busses are given numbers which tally with their bus fleet number. Otherwise, numbers are issued in strict sequence of application for first registration—though numbers which appear likely to give offence or to be highly prized are withheld, and numbers of an appropriate year are found for "vintage" vehicles. For a payment—at present £5.40, including VAT—any vehicle owner may transfer the number of a vehicle in his possession to another which is also in his possession: there are currently some406W 4,500 such "cherished transfers" each month. The arrangements appear to be working reasonably well from a procedural point of view: I am aware that none the less they are the subject of considerable criticism, and I have a review of them in hand at the moment.