[Malcolm]

There is/was a way to get rid of Q plates but it is not simple and potentially no longer possible! Before times moved on with Northern Ireland, you could transfer your car there and register it to an Northern Irish address. After say 6 months or so, you then brought it back to England and put it to an English address. Because the car came to/from NI, the registration was changed each time and hey presto when it came off the NI plate, you could lose the Q! Not a system I have tried or would wish to guarantee but maybe someone out there knows a bit more!