To ask the Minister of the Environment for his assessment of the financial impact of the proposed changes to MOT tests on small automobile repair shops.

The proposed changes to MOT tests should have a negligible impact on small automobile repair shops. While the MOT test changes include checks of malfunction indicator lights, many repair shops already have the diagnostic equipment and systems required to ensure that they can deal with auto-electronic system failures or already have access to such equipment at other locations. Many of the other tests are developments and the wider application of a number of existing tests which should cause limited new expense or demands on existing mechanics.