Column Number: 336
Clause 125
Fees
Mr. Moss: I beg to move amendment No. 257, in clause 125, page 57, line 28, after 'licence', insert
'(but may not be determined by local authorities or dependent upon the location of such licence holder)'.
The Chairman: With this it will be convenient to discuss amendment No. 258, in clause 125, page 57, line 28, leave out from 'licence' to end of line 33.
Mr. Moss: We believe that it should be clear that fees will be fixed centrally to avoid applications being made disproportionately to different authorities, and that fees should not vary between regions. Amendment No. 258 is pretty much consequential on amendment No. 257.
Mr. Caborn: I agree that fees for personal licences should be consistent throughout Great Britain. However, the amendment is not necessary, because the clause makes it clear that the fee will be set by the Secretary of State and no one else. Let me reassure the hon. Gentleman on the substance. We have no intention of involving local authorities in the process of setting fees for personal licences. Nor do we intend to set different fees for licences awarded to persons living or working in different areas. A personal licence will be a licence to work anywhere in Great Britain, and there will be a standard national fee for each type of licence.
If the hon. Gentleman is worried about subsection (3)(b), let me reassure him that it is not in the Bill to allow us to set different fees for different areas. This is purely belt-and-braces drafting to allow for a situation in which the holders of the same category of licence do different tasks that involve more regulatory costs. With those reassurances, I hope that the hon. Gentleman will withdraw the amendment.
Mr. Moss: I am grateful to the Minister for that clarification. On the basis of what he has said, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 125 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
It being twenty-five minutes past Eleven o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at half-past Two o'clock.
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