§ Mark TamiTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to police forces on the prosecution of individuals who do not have a current MOT certificate for their vehicles. [25136]
§ Mr. DenhamNo specific guidance is given to the police. The requirement to have a current Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate is backed up by some 320,000 roadside and other spot vehicle safety checks each year. The police work closely with the Vehicles Inspectorate in conducting these, and drivers or transport operators whose vehicles fail the most important standards are prosecuted as appropriate. In addition, the routine procedure of requiring drivers to produce their driving documents also identifies a large number of offences, including not having a valid MOT certificate. The police service is concerned for public safety in relation to this type of offence as many caught committing such an offence will be using unroadworthy and dangerous vehicles.
From January 2003, information from the computerised MOT database will begin to be available to the police via the Police National Computer. This will significantly improve the ability of the police to enforce the requirement for vehicles to be covered by a current MOT certificate.