§ 37. Mr. Eyreasked the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer on 11th May, what further improvements are needed at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre, Swansea.
§ Mr. HoramA whole range of minor improvements to be expected of any installation on the scale of the Centre's as it is establishing itself.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are now employed at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea; whether it is intended to employ more people and, if so, to what extent; what was the number of people originally intended to be employed; how many people are employed on licensing work other than at Swansea; and what was the total number of people employed on this work in the country before the Swansea scheme was introduced.
§ Mr. Horam5,350 staff are now employed at DVLC Swansea. 200 more are being recruited to help deal with the final stage of conversion of vehicle38W records, but the total number will fall to about 5,400 next year when this stage is complete.
In 1971, when the first full manpower forecast was compiled, the estimate was 4,700 staff on completion of centralisation.
1,540 staff are currently employed in local vehicle licensing offices outside Swansea. This will increase to 2,000 on completion of centralisation. Local taxation offices, which are due to close in March 1978, at present employ about 2,300 staff, most of whom are local government employees.
Before centralisation started in 1973 about 6,250 staff—excluding common service staff—were employed on licensing work.