Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of vehicles registered abroad in the UK; and what steps his Department has taken to ensure that those vehicles are fully taxed, insured and registered.

A survey is carried out every two years to collect information about vehicles travelling on the roads. Vehicles with non-UK registration numbers are identified during this survey. This information has been used to produce estimates of the number of foreign-registered vehicles in the UK and the latest available figures can be seen at: www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/tra32-foreign-registered-vehicles-in-traffic.

Foreign registered vehicles that are brought temporarily into the UK are normally exempt from registration and licensing requirements for up to six months in any twelve month period, as long as they comply with the requirements of the home country. Once this exemption period has passed or the keeper of the vehicle becomes resident in the UK, the vehicle must be licensed and registered here.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency works with the police to enforce against foreign registered vehicles that have overstayed the exemption period. Where there is sufficient evidence that a vehicle keeper has not complied with UK requirements enforcement action, including the wheelclamping, removal and disposal of a vehicle, can be taken.