§ Mr. Muddasked the Minister of Trans-if he will indicate the respective numbers of applicants currently awaiting driving tests at Truro and Penzance, together with his estimate of the delay likely to be faced by new applicants and an indication of how he will seek to reduce this waiting list.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThere are 1,693 applicants awaiting driving tests at Truro 531W and 947 at Penzance. The waiting period for new applicants is 28 weeks at both centres. Waiting periods are constantly under review and examiners are detached as necessary to help centres where the waiting periods are longest. We need new examiners to reduce waiting times generally and we are recruiting as quickly as we can. There is a particular difficulty at Truro where a senior driving examiner post has fallen vacant: that will be filled as soon as possible.