§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out in the Official Report details of the coaches exempt from tachograph regulations because of their use for non-commercial purposes by pensioners, youth groups, disabled persons' clubs and similar bodies.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThere is no specific exemption from the tachograph or drivers' hours regulations of the vehicles mentioned in the question, but it is strongly arguable that the regulations do not apply at all to privately owned and driven vehicles. It is very unlikely that any such vehicle would be prosecuted in this country or that any attempted prosecution would be successful. Whether a vehicle is privately owned and driven must depend upon the particular circumstances of its use and it is not possible, to provide a definitive list. However, provided that a vehicle is owned by a body that is neither a commercial organisation nor a public undertaking, and provided that it is either never operated for hire or reward or is operated under a minibus permit it would appear to be outside the regulations.
The Government will continue to press in Brussels for clarification of the regulations.