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Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 40:"After Clause 33, insert the following new clause—"    ““YOUNG DRIVERS’ SCHEME: PASSENGER CARRYING VEHICLES    Schedule (Young drivers’ scheme: passenger carrying vehicles) shall have effect.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, we talked about the young drivers’ scheme on the last day in Committee. I propose that drivers who undergo a proper scheme of training will be allowed to drive vehicles once they have passed the test and before they are 21 years old. I am given to understand that the Confederation of Passenger Transport has had a meeting with Karen Buck, the Minister in another place, who has undertaken to raise these issues with the European Community because there is some argument about whether present European law allows those drivers to drive. If the Minister can give us an undertaking that the Minister in another place will raise that matter, and seriously means to raise it in Europe, we may allow the matter to pass. But I will be very interested to hear what the Minister has to say. I reiterate that in the passenger transport industry there is a grave shortage of drivers. Many companies are now importing drivers from places like Poland, but that is not an inexhaustible source of drivers. We need to replenish our stocks and set up a proper vocational scheme for drivers. I beg to move.