§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many sorts of businesses for which his Department is responsible are required to have a licence or registration with his Department; and if he has any plans to extend this requirement.
§ Mr. HoramIn addition to general responsibilities such as those for registering and licensing vehicles, issuing ordinary driving licences and trade licences to motor traders, the Department has direct licensing or registration responsibilities for car driving instructors giving tuition for payment, garages issuing vehicle test certificates, centres calibrating tachographs and checking the standard of refrigerated vehicles, and international regular and shuttle coach services operating within EEC regulations. We have no plans to extend the requirements.
Licences in the field of public passenger transport and road haulage are the responsibility of the traffic commissioners 784W and licensing authorities, who are statutorily independent of my Department in their licensing decisions.