HL Deb 19 January 1982 vol 426 cc603-4WA
Viscount Sidmouth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the current establishment of enforcement officers for road transport, how many of these posts are filled and whether there are any plans to alter the establishment in the light of future developments.

The Earl of Avon

The current establishment of enforcement officers, including supervisors, in the Department of Transport engaged in the day-to-day inspection of goods vehicles and records, including "check weighing", is 596. All but 21 of these posts are filled; further staff are currently being recruited to fill vacancies. The police and local authorities are also enforcement authorities for road transport, but statistics on the numbers of their staff engaged on such duties are not readily available.

My right honourable friend regards enforcement as an essential element in the Government's policy of achieving a more civilised development of freight transport and his department will continue to seek ways of improving the effectiveness of roadside checks and other enforcement procedures.