Computer liability for lapsed licences?
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• Considerable confusion and inconvenience might arise when a big vehicle fleet had many temporary licences expiring at different times. said Tory transport spokesman Mr. David Webster last week.
He was speaking during committee discussion of the Vehicle and Driving Licences Bill, when he moved an amendment saying that it should be incumbent on the Minister to issue a new licence when a temporary licence expired.
He claimed that where there might be a lapse, quite accidentally, through no reminder being issued by the computer, then the legal liability to remind the holder of the licence should be placed on the computer.
"The computer complex is being set up to serve the citizen, and I hope that it will be made to do so by the amendment being accepted". said Mr. Webster.
Mr. Neil Carmichael, MoT Parliamentary
Secretary, told him that the temporary licence would be issued either by the Post Office or the dealer for the full licence fee either for a four-monthly period or for an annual period.
This would be followed up within 14 days by the full licence from the computer.
On the question of the renewal of a licence, within a period of 17 days before the licence was due for renewal the owner would be informed that his licence was due for renewal. This would not be affected by the vehicles all being in one fleet, said Mr. Carmichael.
He promised to look again at a suggestion that there might be a delay of up to four months before a full licence was issued in place of a temporary one, though he thought such a delay very unlikely.
With this assurance Mr. Webster withdrew his amendment.