Driving Tests and Licences

HC Deb 01 December 1989 vol 162 cc438-9W

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to change regulations governing driving tests and licences; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins

There are a number of issues currently under consideration which will require changes to driver testing and licensing regulations. These are: the first EC directive on driver licensing which was the first stage bringing driver licensing and testing into line and introduced a Community driving licence; the second EC directive which will harmonise driver licensing and testing throughout the Community; and the White Paper "The Road User and the Law" (Cm. 576) which proposed compulsory re-testing of offenders. Copies of these documents, and consultation papers issued about them, have been placed in the Library.

We are about to consult on the detailed regulations needed to meet our obligations under the first directive, and to pave the way for the introduction of the more acceptable provisions in the second directive which is still to be negotiated.

We are also about to consult on the detailed proposals for the introduction of compulsory training for all new riders of motorcycles and mopeds under the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Act 1989. This will replace part I of the current two-part motorcycle test.