§ Mr. ArcherTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence to display for sale a vehicle in an unsafe condition and to give local authority trading standards officers the power to authorise routine inspections.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe offence already exists in section 60 of the Road Traffic Act 1972. We have agreed with the Director General of Fair Trading, trading standards organisations and representatives of the motor trade and consumers the desirability of improving section 60 to make it easier to enforce and apply. We are also discussing with them the powers of inspection.