Part II Testing, Marking and Approval of Vehicles
Provision for private-sector plating and testing
15 Consultation with representative bodies.
(1)
Before taking any decision affecting any of the matters mentioned in subsection (2) below the Secretary of State shall consult with such organisations appearing to him to be representative of persons engaged in the road transport industry as he thinks fit.
(2)
The matters in question are—
(a)
the person or persons to whom it is appropriate for the Secretary of State or any company in which he holds a controlling interest (within the meaning of section 13 of this Act) to transfer or grant any estate or interest in or right over any testing station land or former testing station land, or to transfer any testing station property or former testing station property;
(b)
the terms on which any such transfer or grant is to be made;
(c)
the conditions to be complied with by approved testing authorities (generally or in any particular case) and the variation or cancellation of any such conditions;
(d)
the arrangements to be made by the Secretary of State for ensuring the maintenance of proper standards with respect to any examinations carried out in the exercise in the course of an approved testing authority’s business of any of the testing and surveillance functions;
(e)
the withdrawal of, or the imposition of any limitation on, the authorisation of an approved testing authority;
(f)
the designation of premises as testing stations and the withdrawal of any such designation; and
(g)
the fees to be charged in respect of examinations carried out in the exercise in the course of an approved testing authority’s business of any of the testing and surveillance functions.
(3)
In subsection (2)(a) above “testing station land” and “testing station property” have the meanings given by section 13(9)(a) of this Act.
(4)
Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2)(c) above, the following in particular are subject to the consultation requirement under subsection (1) above, that is to say, any decision with respect to the conditions of authorisation of any approved testing authority which relate to the number or situation of any designated testing stations the authority is to be required for the time being to operate.
(5)
The reference in subsection (2)(f) above to the designation of premises as testing stations is a reference to the designation of premises under section 10(12) or 12(2) of this Act.