HC Deb 05 November 1958 vol 594 cc942-3
28 and 29. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) how many men and women, respectively, in the United Kingdom have applied for driving tests in the last three years; and what have been the proportions, shown by sexes, of successes and failures;

(2) how many men and women, respectively, have applied for driving tests in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme in the last three years; and what have been the proportions, shown by sexes, of successes and failures.

Mr. Nugent

We do not keep records showing separately the numbers of applications which men and women make, nor of the tests which they pass. For the three years ended August, 1958, the total number of applications for tests in Great Britain was 3,117,735, and the proportion of all tests passed was 55 per cent.

No separate figures are available for the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, but the total number of applications made during the same period in the Northern Division of the West Midland Traffic Area, which includes Newcastle-under-Lyme, was 282,744 and the proportion of all tests passed was 58 per cent.

Mr. Swingler

It is a pity that the Minister cannot produce the figures. Is he aware that some of my constituents are complaining and alleging a sex bias, curiously enough against women, in the conducting of these tests, and now, apparently, the Ministry is not armed with the information to be able to refute that allegation? Will he, therefore, make some inquiries in order to try to satisfy them that there is really fair and equal treatment?

Mr. Nugent

I can assure the House that there is no bias as between the sexes in conducting these tests. A great deal of additional expense would be required to keep separate records. I have read the letter from the hon. Gentleman's constituent, and I quite understand her feelings in the matter. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will assure her that she was quite fairly treated.

Sir F. Medlicott

Is the Minister aware that many experienced schools of motoring will say that lady drivers, although often very irritating, are, on the whole, more careful—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—yes—more careful drivers than men, and, therefore, should be correspondingly more welcomed on the roads?

Mr. Usborne

Will the Parliamentary Secretary tell us what percentage of those who pass succeed in passing on the first test? Is he aware that there is a feeling among people that they are generally failed on the first occasion in order to give the instructors an opportunity of teaching them again? Can the hon. Gentleman tell us that he is quite satisfied that the standards required in passing the test are more or less equal all over the country, without any variation?

Mr. Nugent

The answer to the second part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question is "Yes". As far as humanly possible, our system of continually checking individual testers does ensure that there is uniformity over the country. As regards the first part of the supplementary question, I have not the precise figure, but my recollection is that it is something like half. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no question of an automatic failing. We should be only too delighted if they could all pass the first time. Unfortunately, they cannot.