HC Deb 21 March 1989 vol 149 c531W
Mr. Andy Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any plans for common standards for driving instructors in Europe by 1992.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

There are no plans at present for harmonisation of driving instructor standards within EC.

Mr. Andy Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving instructors have failed to reach the proper standard in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

In 1988, 749 check tests on established instructors were substandard. Some of the instructors involved were subsequently able to raise their standard to an acceptable level. Some await further tests.

Eighty-six instructors have been or are being removed from the register of approved driving instructors for failing to reach the required standard. Others have resigned before this step has been reached.

Mr. Andy Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving instructors fall within each of the different grades allocated by his Department on the check test.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

This information will not be available until next year, when all instructors will have been tested to the current standard. All instructors who fail to reach grade 4, 5 or 6 after, at most, three attempts, are removed from the register.