HL Deb 13 July 1999 vol 604 cc38-9WA
Viscount Simon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether a non-European Union driving licence holder can drive a European Union registered light goods vehicle or public carriage vehicle in the United Kingdom. [HL3502]

Lord Whitty

It depends on whether or not the non-EU licence holder is resident in the country in which the vehicle in question is registered, and whether or not the non-EU licence is recognised there for driving those vehicles. The holder of a non-European Union driving licence may drive a European Union registered light goods or public carriage vehicle in the UK as a visitor only if he is resident in the EU member state in which the vehicle is registered and his driving licence for the purpose of driving such vehicles is recognised there. A non-EU licence holder resident in the UK could not drive such UK-registered vehicles here because our legislation does not permit this.