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Column 860
Hamilton, Hon Archie (Epsom)Hamilton, Neil (Tatton)
Hampson, Dr Keith
Hargreaves, Ken (Hyndburn)
Harris, David
Howarth, Alan (Strat'd-on-A)
Hunt, David (Wirral W)
Hunt, John (Ravensbourne)
Irvine, Michael
Jack, Michael
Jackson, Robert
Kennedy, Charles
King, Roger (B'ham N'thfield)
Lang, Ian
Leigh, Edward (Gainsbor'gh)
Lightbown, David
Maclean, David
McLoughlin, Patrick
Maude, Hon Francis
Miller, Sir Hal
Mitchell, Andrew (Gedling)
Morrison, Rt Hon P (Chester)
Moss, Malcolm
Moynihan, Hon Colin
Neale, Gerrard
Neubert, Michael
Newton, Rt Hon Tony
Nicholls, Patrick
Norris, Steve
Paice, James
Raffan, Keith
Redwood, John
Rhodes James, Robert
Riddick, Graham
Sackville, Hon Tom
Shaw, David (Dover)
Shepherd, Colin (Hereford)
Smith, Tim (Beaconsfield)
Steel, Rt Hon David
Stern, Michael
Stevens, Lewis
Stewart, Allan (Eastwood)
Summerson, Hugo
Taylor, Ian (Esher)
Taylor, John M (Solihull)
Thompson, Patrick (Norwich N)
Thurnham, Peter
Trippier, David
Twinn, Dr Ian
Waddington, Rt Hon David
Wallace, James
Waller, Gary
Wardle, Charles (Bexhill)
Wells, Bowen
Wheeler, John
Widdecombe, Ann
Wiggin, Jerry
Wood, Timothy
Yeo, Tim
Tellers for the Ayes :
Mr. David Heathcoat-Amory
and Mr. Sydney Chapman.
NOES
Barnes, Harry (Derbyshire NE)
Beaumont-Dark, Anthony
Beith, A. J.
Bruce, Malcolm (Gordon)
Campbell, Menzies (Fife NE)
Carlile, Alex (Mont'g)
Dixon, Don
Dunnachie, Jimmy
Fyfe, Maria
Haynes, Frank
Hughes, John (Coventry NE)
Janman, Tim
Lewis, Terry
Livsey, Richard
McAllion, John
McAvoy, Thomas
McFall, John
McLeish, Henry
Meale, Alan
Michie, Mrs Ray (Arg'l & Bute)
Nellist, Dave
Pike, Peter L.
Taylor, Matthew (Truro)
Vaz, Keith
Wareing, Robert N.
Winterton, Mrs Ann
Winterton, Nicholas
Tellers for the Noes :
Mr. Bob Cryer and
Mr. Dennis Skinner.
Question accordingly agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House takes note of European Community Document No. 4102/89 on units of measurement ; and welcomes the proposals as providing adequate transitional periods to enable businesses and consumers to adapt and become used to the new measurements.
Column 861
11.56 pm
The Minister for Roads and Traffic (Mr. Peter Bottomley) : I beg to move,
That this House takes note of European Community Document No. 10357/1/88 on driver licensing ; and endorses the Government's objective of negotiating satisfactory amendments with respect to the drivers of non-commercial minibuses and light goods vehicles, drivers from other Member States resident in the United Kingdom, and disabled drivers.
The ratio of risk for a passenger travelling in a minibus is less than half that of someone travelling in a car. It is one sixty fifth of someone travelling on a motor bike.
One part of the Commission's proposals on driver licensing is that minibus drivers should be required to take a public service vehicle test and after the age of 45 should be required to take regular medicals. That is unacceptable. If the British licensing system for minibuses applied throughout the European Community, instead of there being 10 million passenger journeys a year in voluntary minibuses there would be 50 million or more. The groups that benefit from the voluntary minibus system in Britain, often in buses provided by the Lord's Taverners or in the Variety Club's Sunshine coaches, would increase so that children, young people, youth organisations, Church groups, students and the elderly, including war veterans, terms translatable throughout the rest of Europe, would also benefit. That would provide extra advantages, extra mobility and, as I have emphasised, extra safety.
In considering European Community draft directives we want to maintain and enhance safety and mobility. Other countries will raise other points about this draft directive.
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