Draft Deregulation (Exchangeable
Driving Licences) Order 1998
1. On 29 June 1998, the Government laid before Parliament the
draft Deregulation (Exchangeable Driving Licences) Order 1998,
together with a Statement from the Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions[1].
We have already reported on the Government's original proposals
for this draft Order[2],
which relate to the exchange of driving licences issued in certain
countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA)[3]
for British driving licences.
2. Holders of driving licences from countries in the EEA have
the automatic right to drive indefinitely in Great Britain (having
exchanged the licence issued to them by an EEA state for a British
licence). Individuals holding licences issued outside the EEA
may drive small vehicles for up to a year before they are required
to take a driving test to qualify for a British licence. However,
individuals holding licences issued in a number of specified countries
and territories outside the EEA, designated under section 108
of the Road Traffic Act 1988, may exchange their licences for
British licences without taking a test.
3. The draft Order would enable the Secretary of State to establish
a new category of countries by issuing Orders that specified that
the designation of a particular country or territory was restricted.
The provision would be expected to allow for a more flexible system
and would enable more individuals holding driving licences issued
outside the EEA to obtain British driving licences without taking
another driving test.
4. Following our consideration of the proposal, we concluded that
it met the criteria against which we are required to judge it,
and we recommended that a draft Order should be made in the same
terms as the proposal[4].
No changes have been made to the draft Order now laid.
5. The House has instructed us to consider the extent to which
the Minister has had regard to "any other representations
made during the period for parliamentary consideration."[5]
The Department did not receive any further representations[6].
Report under Standing Order No. 141
6. We recommend unanimously that the draft Order should be
approved.
1 Copies of these are available to Members from the
Vote Office and to members of the public from the Department of
the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Back
2 Fifth
Report, Proposal for the Deregulation (Exchangeable Driving
Licences) Order 1998; the Draft Deregulation (Deduction from Pay
of Union Subscriptions) Order 1998, HC 732 of Session 1997-98.
Back
3 European
Community Member States plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Back
4 Fifth
Report, paragraph 22. Back
5 Standing
Order No. 141(5)(B). Back
6 Statement,
paragraph 12. Back
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