Sympathy for the devil?
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IT WAS doubtful whether a lorry driver facing disqualification would be able to stave off a driving ban by claiming exceptional hardship, said Lord Advocate, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, in the Lords last week.
Speaking during a discussion of the "totting up" procedure in the Transport Bill, he said that it would be for individual courts to decide on the merits of putting a dryer's employment at risk, but a heavy goods vehicle in the wrong hands was a serious danger.
Labour Peer Lord Underhill said that a driver would have difficulty in having his licence restored at the end of the period of disqualification — Licensing Authorities were usually very strict on this issue.
Earlier Lord Mischon had asked who was going to decide whether it was a hardship or a serious hardship when a lorry driver told a court he would lose his job if it took away his licence, and asked the House to delete this section of the Bill -.a request turned down by 101 votes to 61.