HC Deb 04 December 1992 vol 215 cc389-90W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those companies registered with his Department who are offering blue light emergency services; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

Operators of vehicles using blue warning beacons and special warning lights are not required with this Department.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations make provision for these lamps to he used on "emergency vehicles" which are defined as motor vehicles of any of the following descriptions:

  1. (a) a vehicle used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
  2. (b) an ambulance, being a vehicle (other than an invalid carriage) which is constructed or adapted for the purposes of conveying sick or injured persons and which is used for such purposes;
  3. (c) a vehicle owned by a body formed primarily for the purposes of fire salvage and used for those or similar purposes;
  4. (d) a vehicle owned by the Forestry Commission or by a local authority and used from time to time for the purposes of fighting fires;
  5. (e) a vehicle owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used—
    1. (i) for the purposes of the disposal of bombs or explosives,
    2. (ii) by the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation for the purposes of a nuclear accident or an incident involving radioactivity,
    3. (iii)by the Royal Air Force mountain rescue service for the purposes of rescue operations or any other emergencies, or
    4. (iv)by the Royal Air Force armament support unit;
    5. (f) a vehicle primarily used for the purposes of the Blood Transfusion Service provided under the National Health Service Act 1977 or under the National Health Service (Scotland) act 1978;
    6. (g) a vehicle used by Her Majesty's Coastguard or Coastguard Auxilliary Service for the purposes of giving aid to persons in danger or vessels in distress on or near the coast;
    7. (h) a vehicle owned by the British Coal Corporation and used for the purposes of rescue operations at mines;
    8. (i) a vehicle owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and used for the purposes of launching lifeboats; and
    9. (j) a vehicle primarily used for the purpose of conveying any human tissue for transplanting or similar purposes.