Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001

33 Issue of new registration documents: vehicle identity checks etc.

(1) In section 22(1)(h) of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (c. 22) (power to provide by regulations for the issue of new registration documents) after “stolen” there shall be inserted “, surrendered”.

(2) After section 22 of that Act there shall be inserted—

“22A Vehicle identity checks

(1) This section applies to regulations under section 22(1)(h) which confer a power on the Secretary of State to refuse to issue a new registration document in respect of a registered vehicle if he is not satisfied that the vehicle for which the document is being sought is the registered vehicle.

(2) Such regulations may, in particular, provide for—

(a) the examination (whether by the Secretary of State or by persons authorised by him) of all vehicles for which new registration documents are being sought, or such vehicles of a particular description, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are the registered vehicles concerned,

(b) the provision of other evidence in relation to all vehicles for which new registration documents are being sought, or such vehicles of a particular description, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are the registered vehicles concerned.

(3) Regulations made by virtue of subsection (2) may, in particular, provide for—

(a) notification of examinations (including their purpose), the issue of certificates as to the outcome of examinations and the keeping of records in relation to examinations and certificates,

(b) the issue of duplicates or copies of certificates and the fees to be paid on applications for such duplicates or copies,

(c) the correction of errors in certificates,

(d) the payment of fees for examinations, and for re-examinations resulting from appeals and the repayment of the whole or part of the fee paid for such a re-examination where it appears to the Secretary of State that there were substantial grounds for contesting the whole or part of the decision appealed against,

(e) the making of appeals against the outcome of examinations,

(f) the carrying out of examinations in the absence of the keepers or owners of the vehicles concerned,

(g) courses of instruction in connection with the carrying out of examinations and the charging of fees in respect of attendance on such courses,

(h) the authorisation of examiners, the imposition of conditions to be complied with by authorised examiners (including the payment of fees to the Secretary of State) and the withdrawal of authorisations,

(i) the manner in which, conditions under which and apparatus with which examinations are carried out by authorised examiners, and the inspection of premises at which and apparatus with which such examinations are being, or are to be, carried out,

(j) the charges to be paid by authorised examiners to the Secretary of State in connection with—

(i) the issue of certificates,

(ii) the issue of duplicates or copies of certificates, and

(iii) the correction of errors in certificates.

(4) The Secretary of State may use information contained in relevant records—

(a) to check the accuracy of information which has been obtained under regulations made by virtue of subsection (2), and

(b) where appropriate, to amend or supplement any such information.

(5) The Secretary of State may use information which has been obtained under regulations made by virtue of subsection (2)—

(a) to check the accuracy of relevant records, and

(b) where appropriate, to amend or supplement information contained in those records.

(6) In subsections (4) and (5) “relevant records” means records—

(a) maintained by the Secretary of State in connection with any functions exercisable by him under or by virtue of this Act,

(b) records maintained by the Secretary of State (or caused by him to be maintained) under section 45(6B) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52).

(7) Subsections (4) to (6) do not limit any powers of the Secretary of State apart from those subsections.

(8) This section is without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by section 22.”