§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister of Transport if he will list the waiting time for driving tests at each of the test centres throughout Wales.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAt 11 May, the waiting times were:
Driving Test Centre Weeks Abergavenny 29 Aberystwyth 23 Ammanford 18 Bangor 27 Bridgend 29 Cardiff East 26 Cardiff West 30 Carmarthen 12 Cwmbran 24 Haverfordwest 22 Llanelli 14 Machynlleth 25 Merthyr 29 Mold 26 Newport 26 Rhyl 28 Swansea 21 Treorchy 24 Wrexham 25
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister for Transport if he plans to recruit more 239W examiners for driving tests in the centres in various parts of Wales which have long waiting lists.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeArrangements are in hand to fill vacancies at centres in Wales.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister for Transport if, in view of the fact that foreign industrialists coming into Wales are entitled to hold international driving licences only for a set period, he has made an assessment of the time they have to wait to take a British driving test.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeHolders of foreign licences taking up residence in Great Britain are entitled to drive here on those licences for three months. If, by then, they have not passed our driving test, thus qualifying to hold a full Great Britain licence, they must obtain a provisional driving licence and drive subject to its conditions until they pass the test.
Priority in the booking of test appointments is accorded to new residents so far as is practicable. Early vacancies arise only through cancellations by other candidates and, although every effort is made, it is not possible to guarantee that all new residents in fact receive an appointment in advance of the normal forward booking.