HC Deb 15 December 1993 vol 234 cc705-6W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call off DVLA's review into its local offices until the trail of automated direct registration has been completed; and how the DVLA's review can come to any conclusions before the direct registration trail has been completed.

Mr. Key

No. The review will provide the agency with a range of options for the future. Estimates of the effect of automated first registration on local offices have been built into the business case for the project and the consultants carrying out the review will take these into account in framing their proposals.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many roadside checks Touche Ross consultants attended while carrying out the review for DVLA on the work of inquiry officers in London;

(2) on how many occasions Touche Ross consultants accompanied inquiry officers on duty whilst compiling its report on the work of DVLA inquiry officers in London;

(3) what were the costs of the recent review of inquiry officers' work in DVLA enforcement offices in Sidcup and Great Marlborough street, London.

Mr. Key

Touche Ross has not carried out any investigation into the work of these officers. It has been advising the agency on its overall market testing strategy for 1993–94, of which the LEO inquiry officers are only one element.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost of new DVLA stationery bearing the charter mark; and whether DVLA has scrapped all existing non-charter mark stationery.

Mr. Key

There is no additional cost. The charter mark logo is being incorporated into new stationery as it is reprinted in the normal course of business with old stocks being used up first.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost of producing the DVLA staff magazine "Licence" for the year 1992–93 and for the current financial year to date.

Mr. Key

The cost of producing "Licence" for 1992–93 was £40,000. The cost so far for the current financial year is £25,000.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what were the total number and value of returned cheques passed to the DVLA staff magazine Licence for the financial year 1992–93 and for the current financial year to date;

(2) what were the total number and value of returned cheques passed to DVLA for the financial year 1992–93 and for the current financial year to date.

Mr. Key

Since April 1992 Post Office Counters Ltd. has been responsible for recover, but not prosecution, action on cheques accepted by them in payment for vehicle excise licences. The numbers and value are:

April 1992 to March 1993 April 1993 to November 1993
Number 132,000 81,000
Value £13 million £9 million

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if Touche Ross consultants have carried out a review of inquiry officers' work in the DVLA: and whether consultants visited the enforcement offices concerned.

Mr. Key

No such review has taken place.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if staff employed by DVLA have been issued with instructions not to answer questions from National Audit Office staff carrying out a study into vehicle excise duty collection-enforcement, unless a manager is present.

Mr. Key

The guidance notes issued to DVLA staff are designed to help the NAO to carry out their work as efficiently as possible. To avoid any misunderstandings an account of all NAO interviews will be kept by a designated staff member. All staff interviewed are asked to give honest, factual and considered answers. This arrangement is in accordance with standard procedures and was agreed with the NAO team involved in this study.