Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to introduce a combined form to enable people to notify the DVLA of a change of address for both driving licence and registered vehicle keeper.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently improving the way it holds data and the services it provides to customers. As part of this process the DVLA will provide a new service to notify changes of address covering both driver and vehicle databases. As most customers want to notify changes online, the DVLA will focus on delivering a digital service, with other support and assistance available for those who need it.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to encourage traffic enforcement teams to check with the DVLA vehicle enquiry service before issuing penalty notices in order to avoid problems caused by potential vehicle license plate cloning.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The purpose of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) Vehicle Enquiry Service is to provide some details about the vehicle being checked, for example its licensing status.
The DVLA already has existing secure data sharing arrangements in place which are used by the police and local authorities for enforcement purposes.
If the registered keeper of a vehicle suspects that their number plate has been cloned, they should contact the police and the authority that issued any disputed penalty notice for investigations to be carried out. The DVLA is also able to issue a new registration number where appropriate.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of the move away from paper tax discs on levels of registration plate cloning fraud.
Answered by Jesse Norman
There is no evidence to suggest that there is a link between the removal of paper tax discs and levels of registration plate cloning.
There are robust measures in place to protect the integrity of the number plate system which have never relied on the availability of paper tax discs. Since 2003, number plate suppliers in England and Wales have been required to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) Register of Number Plate Suppliers. This requirement was extended to Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2008.
This regime was introduced to protect the integrity of number plates by ensuring that suppliers check a customer’s identity to ensure their entitlement to the registration number before selling them a replacement number plate. A team of DVLA enforcement officers conduct regular compliance visits to suppliers and work closely with the police and trading standards officials to share intelligence and support investigations and prosecutions.
DVLA will investigate where customers believe that their vehicle registration number is being used fraudulently.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to encourage data sharing between the DVLA, police, local authorities and other key agencies to facilitate the swift removal of abandoned vehicles.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has secure data sharing arrangements in place for key agencies, including local authorities and the police, to obtain information on registered keeper details where a vehicle appears to be abandoned.
Local authorities are responsible for the removal of abandoned vehicles. They are able to do so using powers contained in the Cleaner Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2006. Alternatively, the police can remove any vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is likely to cause danger, or is broken down or abandoned without lawful authority.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to support local authorities to hold to account utility companies that fail to reinstate the original road or pavement surface after the completion of their work.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Local Highway Authorities in England already have powers under the 1991 New Roads and Street Works Act to require utility companies to reinstate the highway to the prescribed standard set out in the Specification for Reinstating Openings in the Highway. The same Act also provides Authorities with powers to inspect utility works to ensure standards are met. The 2004 Traffic Management Act introduced the ability for authorities to operate a street works permit scheme which ensures proactive management of how works are undertaken. To date some 65% of authorities have introduced such a scheme.
Currently the Department is looking at a range of measures with the sector as a whole to continue to improve the quality of reinstatements of the highway improves. This is in addition to the wider point recently made by my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State that utility companies should look first at laying utilities under pavements or verges rather than under the road itself.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the use of (a) recycled plastic materials and (b) other innovative and durable techniques for road repairs.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The use of recycled plastic materials as a component in road surfacing is not widespread. Officials at the Department for Transport are, however, aware that it has been used in a small proportion of England’s strategic road network for high friction surfacing materials, and on one short stretch of public road in England.
Officials from the Department have been in discussion with Cumbria County Council, which is trialling the use of recycled plastic materials in their road resurfacing, and with the company that supplies the material. They will continue to monitor the situation and any outcomes, positive or negative, from the trial currently underway.
The Department is also encouraging local highway authorities to trial new innovations and technology to help repair the roads for which they are responsible. The Department recently announced that it is working in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Environment, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) on future-proofing the local road network through the use of smart infrastructure and new materials.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to tackle motorists using (a) illegal exhausts and (b) other disallowed modifications.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has taken a number of recent steps to reduce the use of illegal vehicle modifications, including illegal exhausts. As of 20 May 2018, vehicles will fail their MOT where evidence is found that emissions control systems have been tampered with. As announced in the Clear Air Strategy, new legislation will make tampering with an emissions control system an offence.
DVSA has also introduced roadside checks for emissions cheat devices in Heavy Goods Vehicles, with 388 devices found in 10,237 vehicles searched by the end of February 2018. Where devices are found, drivers and operators are given 10 days to fix the emissions system or face a £300 fine and having the vehicle taken off the road (with vehicles being immediately taken off the road for repeat offenders).
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a temporary Blue Badge scheme for people with temporary but debilitating and incapacitating injuries and conditions.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department did examine this as part of the wider Blue Badge reform programme but took the decision not to extend eligibility to people with temporary disabilities as this would have put at risk the sustainability of the scheme.
The Department has issued local authorities with advice on how they can use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas such as provision of badges to those with temporary conditions. The advice provided can be viewed at:
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing drivers' addresses from driving licenses while allowing the police to continue to access that data centrally to prevent potential data protection breaches.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The removal of addresses from driving licences has been considered previously. However, following discussions with motoring organisations and industry, it was decided that there was not a compelling case for doing so.
There is no legal requirement for motorists to carry their licence with them. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency recommends that driving licences are kept in a safe and secure place. The police are already able to access drivers’ data, including the address, via the Police National Computer.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing drivers' addresses from driving licenses while allowing the police to continue to access that data centrally to prevent potential data protection breaches.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The removal of addresses from driving licences has been considered previously. However, following discussions with motoring organisations and industry, it was decided that there was not a compelling case for doing so.
There is no legal requirement for motorists to carry their licence with them. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency recommends that driving licences are kept in a safe and secure place. The police are already able to access drivers’ data, including the address, via the Police National Computer.