HC Deb 17 May 1995 vol 260 cc246-7W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the full cost of his Department, the Driving Standards Agency and the Treasury of the recent market test of the Driving Standards Agency booking service and list the costs according to consultancies, implementation costs, the establishment of residual functions, accommodation and staffing costs including the costs of redundancies and recruitment; [24426]

(2) what is his estimate of the short and long-term savings which will be made as a result of the market test of the Driving Standards Agency booking service; [24427]

(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the successful bid for the Driving Standards Agency booking service. [24425]

Mr. Norris

These are operational matters for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from B. L. Herdan to Ms Joan Walley, dated 17 May 1995: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to the following questions concerning the recent Market Test of the Agency's regional booking service. The costs of the market test exercise up to the announcement of the result were: consultancies £76,647 and staff time and effort £148,000. The implementation exercise has commenced but it is too early to assess the actual costs of redundancies, recruitment and the reorganisation of the residual functions. The In-House Bid proposals will provide a saving of £1.3 million over the three years of the contract. The anticipated savings over 10 years of implementing the In-House Bid are £5.2 million. No. The submission made by the successful bidder contains information which is commercial in confidence.

Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are employed in the Scottish booking office of the Driving Standards Agency; how many of them will transfer to Newcastle if the office is relocated there; and what will be the cost to the Exchequer of these transfer and of any voluntary redundancy or early retirement packages taken up because of the relocation decision. [24277]

Mr. Norris

This is an operational matter for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from B. L. Herdan to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 May 1995. The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the staff in the Scottish Booking Office. At present 17 staff are employed in the Booking Office in Edinburgh. None of these staff are expected to transfer with the work to the Newcastle office. Local transfers to other Government Department sin the Edinburgh area have already been agreed for 4 staff and similar transfers are being sought for those remaining. Two members of staff have sought voluntary early retirement at a total cost of £18,000 compensation. Full estimates of these costs for any remaining staff cannot be given until discussions with other Departments on transfers are complete.

Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many driving tests were booked through the Scottish booking office of the Driving Standards Agency in each of the past three years; [24275]

(2) what is the annual cost of running the (a) the Scottish booking office and (b) the Newcastle office of the Driving Standards Agency; and how many driving tests are booked through each office annually; [24278]

(3) whom he consulted on his proposal to relocate the Scottish booking office of the Driving Standards Agency to Newcastle; how many responses he received as a result; and how many of them supported the relocation. [24276]

Mr. Norris

These are operational matters for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from B. L. Herdan to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 May 1995: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the relocation of the driving tests booking responsibility in Scotland from Edinburgh to Newcastle. The number of applications dealt with by the Agency's Booking Office in Scotland in each of the past three years was, 1992/93 156,594, 1993/94 153,625 and 1994/95 157,004. The cost of running the office in Haymarket House, Edinburgh during 1995/96 is £119,008 or £268.58 per m2. This takes account of a rent free first quarter agreed when the Agency moved into the accommodation last year. For 1996/97 this would rise to £134,090 or £302.62 per m2. The cost for Westgate House, Newcastle is £212,182 or £226.93 per m2. These do not include staffing costs. The number of driving tests booked through each office varies from year to year. During the period 1 April 1994–31 March 1995 the office in Edinburgh dealt with 157,004 applications, whilst Newcastle dealt with 234,190 applications. There is no requirement under the Market Testing guidance to undertake a consultation exercise on proposals in bids. Since the result of the Market Test was announced some 33 items of correspondence have been received opposing the decision; no correspondence has been received supporting the decision.