Written question asked by David Crausby (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 June 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 July 1998. It was answered by Alun Michael (Labour) on Monday, 13 July 1998 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been prosecuted for driving a vehicle whose spray suppression devices have failed to comply with Regulation 65 of the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulation 1986 (a) from April 1987 to March 1992 and (b) since April 1992.

Answer: Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for driving a vehicle whose spray suppression devices have failed to comply with Regulation 65 of the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulation 1986 (a) from April 1987 to March 1992 and (b) since April 1992. [47765] Mr. Michael: Prosecutions for this offence cannot be distinguished from other similar offences connected with defective vehicles in the statistics collected centrally. Most offences of this nature are dealt with by the issue of a prohibition notice, but figures kept by the Vehicle Inspectorate (an executive agency of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions) do not separately distinguish offences of defective spray suppression devices from offences connected with defective wings and wheel arches. The Government recognise the importance of this issue and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Ms Jackson) has outlined the steps being taken in the United Kingdom and Europe to improve the standards of spray suppression. The Home Office is co-operating with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on a variety of issues and this issue will be included in future discussions between Ministers.

Secondary information