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Viscount Astor asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Davies of Oldham: Traffic commissioners are responsible for administering the licensing systems for operators of large goods vehicles and public service vehicles under the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 and the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981. They are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport under Section 4(2) of the 1981 Act but are statutorily independent. They act in a quasi-judicial capacity and, under the supervision of the
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Council of Tribunals, they act as single person tribunals when conducting public inquiries on licence applications or an existing licence holder's fitness to hold a licence. Decisions relating to operators' licences are solely a matter for the traffic commissioners. A person who seeks redress against a commissioner's decision may appeal to the Transport Tribunal or the courts.
Viscount Astor asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether traffic commissioners have powers, discretionary or not, to change or amend some or all of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995, with particular regard to Schedule 3. [HL1770]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Traffic commissioners have the responsibility for administering the goods vehicle operator licensing system set out in the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995. They do not have powers to amend the provisions of the Act but they are responsible for interpreting the Act's provisions and, in particular, for deciding whether in individual cases the eligibility criteria for a licence set out in Schedule 3 to the Act have been met. A person who is aggrieved by a commissioner's decision has the right of appeal to the Transport Tribunal and the courts.
Lord Birt
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 23 February (WA 211), why the public interest in withholding the dates of meetings between the Prime Minister's strategy adviser, the Lord Birt and
(b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer; and
(c) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
outweighs the public interest in releasing it; and whether the Secretary of the Cabinet was consulted on the decision. [HL1572]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Lord Birt is an unpaid strategy adviser to the Prime Minister. He provides private internal advice to the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers on a range of issues. His advice is not made public as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
It is for Ministers to take the decision on the content of Answers to Parliamentary Questions.
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