§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving tests his Department administers in a normal year.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe annual demand for L-tests fluctuates, but in 1983 there were 1.917 million applications for tests and 1.892 million tests were conducted.
§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost of administering the testing and initial licensing of drivers.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIn the financial year 1982–83, the cost of conducting and administering L-tests was £24.04 million. Precise costs for initial licensing of drivers are not available, but the driver licensing system at the Swansea centre cost some £17.6 million in 1982–83, when 18 per cent. of licence transactions were applications for a first provisional licence.
§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average time applicants have to wait for a driving test at each driving test centre.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe average wait for an L-test in Great Britain on 27 January was about 10 weeks. The average wait in each of the traffic areas was as follows:
Weeks Northern 5½ Yorkshire 6 North Western 7 West Midland 9½ East Midland 7 Eastern 9½ South Wales 7 Western 7½ South Eastern 7 Scotland 4½ Metropolitan 15½ If my hon. Friend wishes to know the waiting period at any individual centres, perhaps he would write to me.
§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the percentage failure rate for driving tests conducted at each centre.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThis information is not readily available. The average percentage failure rate for driving 89W tests conducted in Great Britain during 1983 was 51.33 per cent. The average failure rate in each of the traffic areas was as follows:
Percentage Northern 51.58 Yorkshire 52.68 North Western 50.06 West Midland 51.51 East Midland 51.08 Eastern 51.57 South Wales 50.61 Western 49.28 South Eastern 50.99 Scotland 50.98 Metropolitan 52.44