No, not exactly. If the outcome of the negotiations is a permit-based system, whether unlimited or whatever, yes, we would use this legislation for the allocation of other permits for ECMT and non-EU countries. As I said, that is to simplify the system, have everything in one place under the regulations and allow hauliers to have just one point of access. Beyond the first regulations made under this power, they would need to be updated and amended as our international agreements, whether they be with EU or non-EU countries, change over time. We would need to retain the ability to create regulations under the Bill.
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Many noble Lords referred to the report of the DPRRC, which I have read carefully. I thank my noble friend who chairs the committee and my noble friend Lord Moynihan for their considerations, harsh or not, and I am grateful for the clarification. We will address the procedures around secondary legislation throughout the Bill on the second day of Committee. I take this issue really seriously and look forward to discussing it in more detail then.
On Monday, we circulated policy scoping documents which set out more detail on how we propose to develop the regulations which the Bill enables. We are consulting industry on the principle set out in the scoping document, which will inform the development of draft regulations. During the passage of the Bill, we will consult more fully on the regulations.
Another issue raised was cabotage, which I think we will address in a later group of amendments. I understand the importance of this for both UK hauliers in the EU and EU hauliers in the UK. On my noble friend Lord Attlee’s point on the ability to withdraw permits for non-compliance, permits will be allocated only to UK operators with an operator’s licence, so that will ensure that minimum standards of professional competence, financial standing and repute are met. If someone breaks the rules of the operator’s licence, both the licence and the permit can be revoked. The licence will be revoked under provisions in the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 and the permit will be revoked under regulations made under Clause 2.
The noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, raised the important issue of corruption. IT systems such as the vehicle operator’s licence system and supporting
intelligence data will be used to identify any non-compliance for both UK and international vehicles. Our aim is to develop permits that are very difficult to copy, but of course that does not address the issue of bribery, which the noble Lord mentioned. We are speaking to hauliers who were in the previous permit system to learn from their experience in developing a system and are confident of delivering a better system than we had previously through that engagement. I will of course carefully consider the points that the noble Lord raised.