§ Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take urgent steps to ensure that provisional driving licences are available to applicants wishing to take driving lessons.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI greatly regret that people who have applied for, but not received, their first provisional driving licences from Swansea cannot, as the law stands, start taking driving lessons, and the effect this is having on the driving schools. A clause has been included in the Transport Bill to enable my right hon. Friend to make regulations which will permit such people to drive as soon as their applications have been received. We intend to make regulations as soon as the Bill receives Royal Assent. This will put first time applicants in the same position as people who have already held a licence, who are able to drive and to take lessons once they have sent in their applications for renewal provided they are not medically unfit or disqualified.