HC Deb 18 March 1976 vol 907 cc591-2W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he made it clear to garages carrying out MOT tests that the advice about methods for checking rust has no force in law.

Dr. Gilbert

It is a condition of the appointment of authorised examiners that they test the specified items in the prescribed manner; failure to do so would lead to a withdrawal of their authorisation. The MOT test is concerned with rust that affects a vehicle's steering or brakes; in such a case examiners are required to follow my right hon. Friend's advice on this matter.

Mr. Beith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his policy that the maintenance and testing standards applied to public service vehicles should correspond broadly to those applied to heavy goods vehicles.

Dr. Gilbert

A wider range of maintenance and testing requirements is applied to public service vehicles because they carry passengers; but where there is a common requirement the standards for both classes of vehicle are broadly the same.