Road Safety Bill [HL]

I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate. I recognise that, in his amendment, the noble Earl, Lord Attlee, shares my concerns over the use of vehicles that facilitate crime. Not all drivers, of course, are criminals, but pretty much all criminals are drivers. That is why we need to get some control over the issue. The disguising of the true identity of vehicles though the display of false plates is a matter of great concern, which will jeopardise the future use of camera technology if not controlled. It also allows people to evade fines and charges for more modest traffic offences. The significant contribution made by the regulation of number-plate suppliers to achieving the Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team’s target of a 30 per cent reduction in vehicle crime has been acknowledged by both the Home Office and the police. It is not a system that I would want to see stopped or interfered with; it is making progress. The evidence from police is that organised criminals find getting number plates more difficult under the scheme in place than was the case. I understand the anxieties expressed. The DVLA is working with the number-plate industry to develop tamperproof plates and increase the security of plates by including an identification chip. We are making progress in the area, and are of one mind in all parts of the Committee on the importance of dealing with this issue in reducing crime. I understand very well the noble Earl’s introduction of the amendment to highlight an important issue. I am grateful for that, but we have a scheme in place that is increasingly proving its worth and has been commended by the police. On that basis, I would be loath to accept an amendment that changed the basis on which we now work. I shall turn to the amendment so ably spoken to by the noble Lord, Lord Brougham and Vaux. With his vast knowledge of the issue, he knows that it is already the case that only suppliers registered on the DVLA register may produce number plates. Few, if any, manufacturers of number plates are not also suppliers, so the database is not huge or extensive. We have controls in place; namely, prosecution and suspension from the register for transgressions. I reassure the Committee that the Bill increases capacity for surveillance. At present, the police have to take the initiative to examine the premises on which they think that false number plates are being produced illegally. Under the Bill, the DVLA will be able to send in inspectors to look at registered premises and bring prosecutions. The Bill tightens up procedures and puts additional controls in place. I hope that the Committee will welcome that and recognise that it fits exactly with all the arguments on the need to establish significant controls in the area, which is important. The problem is that most of the provision at present extends only to England and Wales. That is the point about Clause 35, which extends the legislation to provide the necessary protection for Scotland and Northern Ireland. I agree of course with the noble Lord, Lord Brougham and Vaux, that it would be desirable to have fewer suppliers from the point of view of controlling supplies, and will look at the concept in his amendment to see what we can do about it. We are mindful of the fact that maintaining a register is one thing, but controlling entry to an activity is a little different, so we have to proceed with some care. Number plates are already required to comply with the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. The regulations prescribe the typeface, size, colouring and the British standard to which number plates must conform. I am sure that, if I do not mention this en passant, I shall get a contribution from a noble Lord who has seen some weird and wonderful plate that looks more like someone’s favourite girlfriend’s name than a number plate. Having such a plate is dicing with the law. I can only state that of course under our increasing requirements of surveillance, which will necessitate standardisation of plates, people who think that in almost a light-hearted manner they can dispense with the normal formula will find themselves in considerable difficulty. Specifications are already laid down. The DVLA also holds a register of number-plate suppliers, which records all of those entitled to sell number plates, so to have another register, which is recommended in the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Brougham and Vaux, would add a substantial administrative burden and I am not sure where the additional gain would be. I reassure the Committee that we are fully cognisant of the problem at which the two groups of amendments are directed. It is increasingly important and significant, but in short a registration plate register would not offer significant benefits over and above our present scheme. The costs in setting up and administering such a scheme would be considerable. We maintain that we have the framework within the Bill to cover the whole of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland adequately against this important feature with regard to crime.