§ Sir A. Meyerasked the Minister of Transport what is the average waiting period for Ministry of Transport driving tests for the country as a whole, and for the Slough area.
§ Mr. Tom FraserThe national average waiting period is 15 weeks. At Slough it is about 19 weeks, but I expect this to fall as a result of arrangements which it has now been possible to make to bring the examining staff up to full strength.
§ Sir A. Meyerasked the Minister of Transport between what hours, and on what days of the week, driving tests can be taken at the Ministry of Transport's driving test centres; and how many tests can be conducted by one examiner in one day.
§ Mr. Tom FraserNormally nine tests are booked for each examiner between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and eight on Friday between 173W 9 a.m. and 4.15 p.m. (one less in the London Area). Programmes have to be curtailed on the shorter days in winter. In addition, centres are open one Saturday each month when three tests per examiner are conducted between 9 a.m. and 11.15 a.m. The tests actually conducted are fewer than these figures, partly because seven per cent. of candidates fail to keep their appointments.