§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the pass and fail rate for (i) the car test, (ii) the light goods vehicle test and (iii) the passenger carrying vehicle test for the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [34006]
§ Mr. NorrisThe pass rates requested are:
Percentage Test category 1994–95 1995–96 Car 46.9 45.7 LGV 47.5 47.0 PCV 50.0 49.3
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the pass and fail rate for delegated examiners in(a) the private sector and (b) the Post Office for (i) the car test, (ii) the LGV test and (iii) the PCV test for the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [34005]
§ Mr. NorrisThe pass rates requested are:
Percentage Test category 1994–95 1995–96 (a) Private sector Car 80.5 93.2 PCV 64.2 62.2 No LGV driving examiners have been appointed to private-sector companies. The car driving examiners that were appointed to private-sector companies have now retired, and there are no plans at present to appoint further ones.
Percentage Test category 1994–95 1995–96 (b)Post office Car 52.7 47.5 The Post Office examiners have authority to conduct only care L-tests.
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§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by LGV and PCV driving test centre the pass and fail rate for the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [34007]
§ Mr. NorrisThe pass and fail rates for LGV and for PCV tests by each test centre for 1994–95 and 1995–96 are given in the attached table.
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Driving test pass rates (as percentages) 1994–95 1995–96 Name of centre PCV tests LGV tests PCV tests LGV tests Aberdeen LGV 63 59 67 60 Alvaston LGV 39 49 49 43 Beverley LGV 30 35 50 24 Bishopbriggs LGV 61 59 54 57 Botley LGV 56 50 59 49 Bredbury LGV 46 42 39 43 Bristol LGV 58 51 50 51 Caernarfon LGV 68 58 59 65 Camborne LGV 59 54 65 57 Cambridge LGV 56 59 50 50 Canterbury LGV 46 41 49 41 Carlisle LGV 62 60 66 59 Chelmsford LGV 39 36 46 38 Croydon LGV 44 45 45 43 Culham LGV 56 68 57 69 Darlington LGV 42 41 42 40 Elgin LGV 93 70 91 66 Enfield LGV 39 40 46 41 Exeter LGV 56 51 54 49 Featherstone LGV 37 42 38 39 Galashiels LGV 75 76 64 72 Garretts Green LGV 38 43 42 44 Gillingham LGV 44 42 37 41 Gloucester LGV 43 53 46 50 Gosforth LGV 47 47 49 43 Grimsby LGV 40 38 27 45 Guildford LGV 43 55 43 50 Harlescott LGV 63 64 58 61 Hastings LGV 48 54 60 51 Heywood LGV 46 41 38 34 Inverness LGV 53 53 57 56 Ipswich LGV 60 50 52 49 Kilmarnock LGV 48 59 58 58 Kirkham LGV 62 52 63 47 Lancing LGV 52 48 55 47 Leicester 44 45 43 46 Leighton Buzzard LGV 54 54 55 54 Livingston LGV 62 53 57 56 Llantrisant LGV 54 49 46 48 Neath LGV 52 53 54 53 Norwich LGV 50 44 51 52 Patrick Green LGV 30 33 33 31 Perth LGV 64 66 68 69 Peterborough LGV 43 50 32 43 Plymouth LGV 62 58 56 57 Pontypool LGV 59 53 57 50 Poole LGV/PCV 61 60 60 60 Purfleet LGV 47 39 38 43 Reading LGV 53 51 61 54 Rookley LGV 74 66 62 67 Sheffield LGV 45 40 57 45 Simmonswood LGV 52 47 42 42 Steeton LGV 44 43 30 37 Swynnerton LGV 52 59 57 58 Taunton LGV 53 50 49 53 Upton LGV 41 25 34 28 Walton LGV 32 40 36 36 Watnall LGV 42 37 36 37
Driving test pass rates (as percentages) 1994–95 1995–96 Name of centre PCV tests LGV tests PCV tests LGV tests Weedon LGV 37 43 37 43 Wrexham LGV 46 47 35 43 Yeading LGV 43 41 40 42
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the implementation of the theory test for LCVs, PCVs and motorcycles has been deferred; and if he will make a statement. [34008]
§ Mr. NorrisTheory testing for learning motorcyclists is being implemented 1 July 1996 as originally planned. Implementation of the theory tests for LGVs and PCVs has been deferred until 1 January 1997, giving more time to finalise outstanding issues and put in place the necessary legislation, and allow the road haulage, passenger transport and related training industries more opportunity to prepare for the changes.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the exemptions from the theory element of the driving test, the reasons for the exemptions and at what level the decision to exempt particular categories of vehicle was taken. [34009]
§ Mr. NorrisThe following are the arrangements which we have agreed. There will be an exemption between tests to drive different categories of vehicle where this is justified by the content of the relevant theory tests.
In view of the overlap of topics for theory test for cars and two-wheelers, a person holding a full licence for car driving will not have to take a theory test as a learner motorcyclist, or vice versa. A person holding a full moped licence obtained after 1 July will not have to take a theory test as a learner car driver or motorcycle rider.If a person obtains a full licence to drive a medium-sized lorry, he will not have to pass a further LGV theory test as pan of seeking a full licence to drive a large lorry. Similarly, if a person obtains a full licence to drive a minibus, he will not have to take a further PCV theory test as part of seeking a full licence to drive a bus or coach.A person will not have a take a separate theory test as part of the test to drive an articulated lorry or vehicle combinations.There will be an exemption where a further driving test has to be taken to lift a restriction to drive a vehicle within the same category. For example, a person holding a full car licence limited to automatic transmission in order to obtain in unrestricted car driving licence.
There will be no separate theory test for the minor domestic licence categories where drivers will generally also be car drivers and can therefore demonstrate their knowledge within the car driving theory test. These categories are F (tractor), G (road roller), H (tracked vehicle) and K (pedestrian controlled vehicle), L (electrically powered vehicle) and N (vehicle excise duty exempt vehicle). Categories L and N are being dropped as test categories from 1 January 1997, and, from that date, candidates for tests for categories G and H must already hold a full car licence.