HC Deb 08 May 2001 vol 368 c71W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many VED licences were issued through post offices in each of the last five years. [160397]

Mr. Alan Johnson

I understand from the Post Office that the numbers of motor vehicle licences issued through post offices in each of the last five years for which verified figures are available was as follows:

Year Million
March 1996 34
March 1997 35
March 1998 35
March 1999 36
March 2000 38

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward proposals to allow all post office and sub-post office outlets to issue VED licences; and if he will make a statement. [160399]

Mr. Alan Johnson

We are giving active consideration to increasing the number of post offices and sub-post offices that can issue VED licences.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office outlets there are in Scotland; and how many of these are authorised to issue VED licences. [160398]

Mr. Alan Johnson

I understand from the Post Office that at the end of December 2000 there were 1,948 post offices operating in Scotland, of which 519 were authorised to issue motor vehicle licences.