§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current status of the proposed directive "relating to special provisions for vehicles used for the carriage of passengers comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat". (Commission Document COM(97) 276 final). [HL1100]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)As we anticipated in the explanatory memorandum that I submitted on 30 September 1997 (9734/97), there are a number of key issues that have emerged from the proposals for the directive. There are fears that the proposals are design restrictive and could lead to the eventual removal from the market of certain types of vehicle widely used in the UK. There are also concerns that the technical provisions for safety and accessibility are not acceptable.
Discussions and negotiations on the draft are currently taking place in Council Working Group. The UK, during its Presidency, is giving the proposal high priority and is making every effort to make progress towards agreement on an acceptable text. Adoption of a common position may be possible by the end of the year.