Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make driving licences issued in Northern Ireland valid for the purposes of paying fixed penalty motoring fines in England and Wales. [6112]
§ Mr. MossThe Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 provides that any driver committing a fixed penalty offence may be given a fixed penalty notice unless the offence involves obligatory endorsement—the award of penalty points. In such a case, a driver must produce a driving licence. In Great Britain, a driving licence is defined as a document issued using the powers granted under part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A Northern Ireland driving licence is not a licence under that enactment. Accordingly, Northern Ireland driving licence holders can receive fixed penalties in Great Britain but only for non-endorsable offences. Northern Ireland legislation has similar provisions. When the provisions of the Road Traffic Offender (NI) Order 1996 relating to the introduction of a penalty point scheme comes into operation, probably late in 1997, the Department of the Environment (NI) proposes to seek changes to legislation, both in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain, to permit the mutual recognition of endorsements.