Clause 17 - Register of Registration Plate Suppliers
Vehicles (Crime) Bill
12:45 pm
Mr Charles Clarke (Minister of State, Home Office; Norwich South, Labour)
No, I am conscious of the time.
It is our intention to consult widely with the industry about the matter before reaching a final decision. We do not want to remove the flexibility of being able to charge a fee because, as my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) said, it is likely that the details that we publish on the internet will be freely available more generally. Two questions arise from that: will we publish on the internet all the information that is in the register or only some of the information? We want to establish that with the industry. In the event that inquiries were made for information that was not on the internet, it would be reasonable to consider making a charge in those circumstances.
Secondly, as my hon. Friend said, if people were seeking more information or detail about the administrative costs that were involved beyond what was on the internet, we should like to consider the possibility of charging a fee in such circumstances. We do not intend to charge the police a fee, but I hope that a fee would be charged to the person who requests the information, as set out in the Bill. I hope that I have clarified matters.
It being One o'clock, THE CHAIRMAN adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at half-past Four o'clock.