asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what grounds he bases his judgment that to re-use the plastic wallets supplied with driving licences would not be cost-effective.

The cheapest way of issuing 45,000 driving licences and attachments a day is to use machines which can put them into envelopes and seal them at a rate of 4,500 per hour. But the machines available can deal only with wallets which have not been folded, whereas wallets returned for re-use would almost invariably have been folded. The hon. Gentleman will be able to see the machines in action during his forthcoming visit.