HC Deb 28 July 1977 vol 936 cc431-2W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it takes weeks to reply to hon. Members' letters making complaints that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea has kept the Members waiting weeks for replies on licence applications; and what further action he intends taking to restore this service to what it was before the changeover to the Swansea Centre.

Mr. Horam

The speed with which we are able to reply to letters from hon. Members is partly dependent on the accuracy and completeness of the information we are given and partly on the extent of the investigations necessary in order to establish the facts.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what further action he has taken or intends taking to see that the Swansea Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre improves its efficiency to that which was in being prior to the establishment of this department; how and why driving licence reminders are sent out asking applicants to return them within 14 days when these reminders are not sent with a 14-day return period; why it takes the department 18 days to return the applicant's licence; and when he expects this licence renewal system to be restored to two to three hours as was the case before the installation of the computer centre at Swansea.

Mr. Horam

I do not agree that the centre is overall less efficient than the local authorities were. Driving licence renewals reminders invariably leave the centre at least five weeks before licence renewal is due and it typically takes the centre eight to nine days to issue a driving licence; I cannot answer for postal delays. I think that an average eight/nine-day turnround on driving licences is reasonable.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain why it takes the Swansea Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre from one month to three months to renew a driving licence, road fund licence and register details of a vehicle when this used to be done in hours and weeks by the Post Office and GLC licensing department; and why it takes him four to six weeks to reply to hon. Members' letters when they write to complain of these delays.

Mr. Horam

The answer to the first part is that we are continually investigating ways of improving the DVLC's performance; recently two special teams have been set up to eliminate features of the system which give rise to errors. For the rest, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers to a series of Questions which I have answered over the last few days.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it takes the Swansea Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre almost three months to return a new registration of vehicle document; why letters are sent out asking for renewal of driving licences to be made allowing 14 days when such notices are not despatched so as to allow 14 days; and why the telephone is not answered for days.

Mr. Horam

I have dealt with all these points in recent correspondence with and answers to my hon. Friend.