JOHN SPELLAR MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT NAND HIS'NEW STYLE' NUMBER PLATES ARE LIKELY TO LAND YOU AN ON T
Added : ( May 2005 )
John Spellar, Minister at the Department of Transport has announced his ‘new style’ ‘Spellar plates’, following a previous announcement that there was to be a consultation with regard to the use of national flags on vehicle registration plates.
In fact there was no such consultation, however, the DVLA was in contact with the owners of intellectual property – 8 registered designs specifically for UK number plates and incorporating national flags and the EU symbol.
The 8 designs registered at the UK Patent Office (since 1995) – are numbered as follows:
2053070 GB/EUROSTARS,
2050915 GB/CYMRU,
2053072 GB/ENGLAND,
2053071 GB/SCOTLAND,
2053069 GB/UNION FLAG,
2052297 GB/MANX,
2052296 GB/JERSEY,
2052298 GB/GUERNSEY.
The original contentious issue was the legalisation without the permission of the intellectual property owners of registered design number 2053070, a design depicting the European stars and the country indicator – GB, in a Statutory Instrument – no. 561of 2001.
Notwithstanding the UK government and senior policy civil servants from the Department of Transport were aware of the existence of the designs since early 1996, and were corresponding with the proprietors of the designs and even commissioning various ‘sample’ number plates with regard to all of the registered designs from the proprietors of the intellectual property.
When it came to the attention of the intellectual property holders in late August 2001, that their design 2053070, had been utilized in this manner, contact was made with the DVLA – who agreed to ‘address’ the situation, to prevent the intellectual property owners from obtaining an injunction against the government with regard to the use of the design.
At this time, following correspondence with the owners of the designs, John Spellar announced his intention to hold a consultation with regard to the display of national symbols on number plates, his quote was - ‘following technical developments’ – which we attribute to the fact the Dept. Transport set out at this time to purchase the designs.
Although the issue was taken to the European Court at this time the intellectual property owners agreed to allow the UK government and the Treasury solicitor to put together a contract to purchase the designs.
However, when the existence of a second Court case against the government taken by the intellectual property owners came to light, the Dept of Transport halted the purchase in order to try to ‘persuade ‘ the intellectual property owners to withdraw the second case.
The Intellectual property owners refused to be ‘persuaded’ to drop the second case and that case against the UK government has now commenced in Europe.
The case concerns corruption at the highest levels throughout the government, civil service and the cartel that control the supply of UK number plates.
Following the aborted purchase of the intellectual property – for which a substantial 7 figure deposit was paid, the Court ruled that the UK government should pay 50,000
sterling per week (from 1 September 2001) until the matter was dealt with in a satisfactory manner.
Those weekly costs continue to accrue. The government has to date made 3 payments to the Court and are now in breach of a Court order – therefore action has commenced to levy UK government property.
At the time of the aborted government purchase of the designs a second purchaser was found and a new contract to purchase agreed.
Spellar to save face, following the ‘non consultation’ and in a blatant attempt to sabotage the second sale announced and produced his own set of ‘National plates’, with the various flags.
However, anyone who seeks to utilize a Spellar plate on their vehicle has also to display the EU stars and GB identifier on their vehicle if they are to motor in Europe.
If the GB identifier and EU symbol are not displayed motorists are likely to incur on the spot fines when travelling out of the UK.
The pose taken up by Spellar with his National plates is a direct mimic of the photo taken of David Mottram, one of the intellectual property owners when his number plates were introduced to the public several years ago – both photos are attached to this press release.
Finally, to sum up this sordid tale of corruption, the second case against the UK government is underway in Europe, Spellar has produced ‘in a fit of pique’ number plates that will render any driver displaying these alone on the European mainland liable to an instant on the spot fine, and which we understand are now to be challenged by the European Transport Commission.
Full documentation to support this matter is displayed on www.euroflagnumberplates.com
In due course documentation with regard to the Court proceedings will also be posted up on the site.
David Mottram.
JOHN SPELLAR MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT NAND HIS'NEW STYLE' NUMBER PLATES ARE LIKELY TO LAND YOU AN ON T
Submitted by:
David Mottram
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