asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 27 April (HL Deb, col. 256), when they will report their findings on the registration of cyclists; and what methodology they are using in their examination of this issue.

The Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 provides for the registration of mechanically propelled vehicles so it would not be possible to register bicycles or cyclists under that Act. To enable the Government to administer the registration of cyclists, changes in legislation would have to be considered along with extensive changes to computer systems.

There are more than 20 million bicycles in Great Britain—many of which change owners frequently—and one in three adults owns a bicycle. To register them would entail the establishment of a system parallel to that presently existing for motor vehicles.

The cost of such a system would, in the Department for Transport's view, outweigh any possible benefits and so we do not propose to take this idea forward.