§ Mr. David YoungTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received seeking the introduction in Great Britain of probationary plates for qualified but inexperienced drivers.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyVarious suggestions for probationary number plates are put to us from time to time. There is no evidence that such schemes reduce casualty rates.
A number of schemes were introduced in other countries during the 1960s. None has so far been successfully evaluated. In New Zealand, for instance, the scheme has now been abandoned.
A P plate system is in use in Northern Ireland, where the legal system for road traffic law enforcement is different. The casualty rate in Northern Ireland over the last five years has been consistently higher than in Great Britain, despite the P plate scheme.