Hansard

Driving Licences

Volume 164: debated on Monday 18 December 1989

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Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists have had their licences withdrawn as a result of medical advice given to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre regarding lack of fitness to drive a motor vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the procedure for advising the licensing authorities on such matters.

Mr. Atkins

The figures available are given in the table:

Year
1984–855,821
1985–868,216
1986–879,318
1987–8810,442
1988–8910,891
Advice about the obligation to notify the onset or worsening of medical conditions which might affect ability to drive safely is printed on all driving licences. Further information is available in the leaflet "What you need to know about driver licensing", Form D100, which is available from most Post Offices.I will write to my hon. Friend to give fuller details about the statutory powers available to the Secretary of State in this area of driver licensing and how the driver licensing centre carries out its medical investigation of drivers.

Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists over the age of 75 years hold current driving licences; and what proportion of these has been declared medically fit to operate a moter vehicle.

Mr. Atkins

No details are available of the number of drivers over the age of 75 years.

There are 1,656,818 current licence holders over the age of 70, all of whom have been considered to be medically fit to hold a driving licence; 117,586 of these drivers are recorded as having a medical condition. All drivers are obliged by law to notify DVLC of the onset or worsening of medical condition which could affect their ability to drive safely.