Employees at the Labour Party now have to qualify for a ‘permit to drive’ from managers before they are allowed to use vehicles for business purposes.

Regional party officials have been enrolled in the system, which is part of the RiskMaster work-related road safety programme developed by Fleet Support Group.

The first phase of the programme covers fleet car drivers, but two further phases will extend the scheme to spouses, partners or children and finally to all general staff who may be required to drive on Party business, either using provided hire vehicles or their own cars.

“We are showing all our staff that health and safety is not just in the office but extends to driving on the road,” said Ann-Marie Foster, Labour Party facilities manager.

“This investment will enhance the safety of our work-driving employees and is part of our commitment to the safety and welfare of everyone who works for the Labour Party.”

The announcement adds to a growing number of organisations that have introduced RiskMaster, including Unison, Britain’s giant public sector union, which has a ‘No Unison permit, no Unison driving’ rule.

Obtaining and retaining a ‘Permit’ requires each driver and vehicle to pass rigid ‘fit for the road’ examination with quarterly online driver checks.

As information is supplied, it is analysed by the RiskMaster software system, which then point scores a driver’s data.

If points rise above a preset level, management is alerted.

A driver can qualify for a permit, or a temporary permit, or be denied.

The analysis is a continual process so each driver has a ‘Driver Operating Life Report’ and each driver is simultaneously measured against their employer’s own specific parameters.