§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he is making to the French Government over their institution of a black list of some 200 British transport companies who are now precluded from entering France on international journeys: and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe majority of firms on the list have been apprehended by the French whilst operating vehicles with forged permits. Under our bilateral agreement, the French Government are clearly entitled to exclude them from their territory. My inquiries have shown that about half the firms on the list had never been issued with genuine permits, and my Department had already found it necessary to suspend the issue of permits to another quarter. As a result of my representations, the French have now agreed to lift the ban on the remaining firms—all of whom have received some genuine permits—to allow time for full investigation of the allegations against them.
I very much regret that a small number of unscrupulous operators have damaged the interests of the vast majority of law-abiding British international hauliers. My Department is in close touch with the French Government in an endeavour to stop this damaging and criminal activity.