§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the average waiting time for driving tests during each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe national average waiting period for L driving tests in Great Britain at the end of each of the last 10 years was as follows:
Average wait in weeks at end of year Year Number 1972 91/2 1973 191/2 1974 161/2 1975 12 1976 16 1977 13 1978 23 1979 28 1980 22 1981 14 The recent figures illustrate the Government's success in bringing down waiting periods from the unacceptably high level they had reached under the previous Administration. The national average is now 111/2 weeks (8 weeks excluding the Metropolitian traffic area) and the average in the South-Eastern traffic area 71/2 weeks.