HC Deb 17 June 1996 vol 279 cc333-4W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the changes that will affect licences held by HGV drivers as a result of the implementation of EC directive 5415/96. [32778]

Mr. Norris

The European Commission proposal for a Council directive amending directive 91/439/EEC is to introduce the use of a set of codes on licences to signify conditions under which licences may be used. It also provides for the formation of a committee of national experts to undertake minor changes to the codes, and more generally minor changes of a scientific and technical nature to the annexes to directive 91/439/EEC. Driving licences, including those for large goods vehicle drivers, first issued or renewed after the directive comes into force would be required to include codes appropriate to their conditions of use, and may be subject, in so far as they are relevant, to other, minor changes of a scientific and technical nature as agreed by the committee.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for transport if he will list the number of drivers entitled to drive(a) class 1 HGVs and (b) class 2 HGVs. [32779]

Mr. Norris

Class 1 and class 2 HGV licences were replaced in 1991 by EC driving licence categories which have a different basis. Numbers of pre-1991 HGV licences are not now held in disaggregated form, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.