§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many candidates over the last five years failed the Department of Transport driving test due to defective eyesight; and if he will express the figures as a percentage of all failures and as a percentage of all candidates.
§ Mr. ChopeI am asking the chief executive of the Driving Standards Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review the method of conducting the eyesight check during the Department of Transport driving test; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeI have no plans to do so. The present number plate test is a simple, cheap and effective test which can also be carried out by drivers themselves and by the police at the roadside. The College of Ophthalmologists and the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention at the Royal College of Surgeons fully endorse the test.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to introduce regular eyesight checks for drivers after they have passed the Department of Transport driving test.
§ Mr. ChopeNone. It is the responsibility of all drivers to ensure that they continue to meet the eyesight standard for driving and to notify DVLA of any deterioration in their eyesight which might affect their ability to drive safely.