§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons Mr. William Sneddon, of 50 Polkemnet drive, Greenrigg, Harthill has been denied by his Department's policy division, zone 209, Great Minster house, 76 Marsham street, London SW1P 4DR, renewal 565W of licence number SNEDD/407/019/WGGFF, valid from 4 December 1974 until 3 December 1977; and for what reasons no conclusion has been reached since March 1995 on his application. [25537]
§ Mr. NorrisMr. Sneddon held a short period licence issued by a local licensing authority before the introduction in 1976 of car licences valid until 70 years of age. Because the then Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre did not have records of such licences, holders were required to return their licences on expiry to the DVLC for their details to be registered and to be issued with a full "till 70" licence. The legislation provided for licence holders to be given until the end of 1985 to convert their licences, after which the entitlement would lapse and any former licence holder would need to pass a driving test to regain the entitlement. There is no scope for waiving the requirements in individual cases. As Mr. Sneddon is one of those whose short period licence was not converted within the prescribed time, it is not possible to issue him with a new licence solely on the strength of the old one.
We are, however, considering a change in the law—under the powers conferred by the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994—to enable those who can prove that they held a licence prior to 1976 to be issued with a new licence without the need to pass a further driving test.