HC Deb 15 February 1996 vol 271 cc667-9W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are employed at the Coventry motor vehicle licensing office; and what provision for transfer of staff to other licensing offices when the Coventry office closes has been made. [15218]

Mr. Norris

There are currently 22 staff employed at Coventry vehicle registration office including job sharers and part timers, a member of staff on secondment from a neighbouring VRO and five casual staff. Permanent staff have given the opportunity to say if they would want to transfer to a neighbouring VRO. Every effort will be made to effect whatever transfers are necessary.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to close the Leicester motor vehicle licensing office. [15216]

Mr. Norris

As part of the rationalisation of DVLA's local office network, Leicester vehicle registration office will close later this year and the work will be transferred in stages to neighbouring VROs such as Nottingham, Peterborough and Birmingham. The VRO' s customers including motor dealers, will be consulted so that their needs can be taken into account when making these revised arrangements.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles were registered at(a) Coventry and (b) Nottingham motor vehicle licensing offices in each of the last six years. [15217]

Mr. Norris

The table shows the number of new vehicles registered at(a) Coventry and (b) Nottingham vehicle registration offices over the last four financial years excluding those intended for personal and direct export. The information is not readily available for the earlier periods as it was compiled on a different basis.

Coventry Nottingham
1991–92 46,233 46,015
1992–93 72,677 44,230
1993–94 72,696 48,463
1994–95 68,773 50,171

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from vehicle manufacturers in Coventry regarding the closure of the Coventry motor vehicle licensing office; and what proportion were in favour of the closure. [15219]

Mr. Norris

None.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation his Department held with motor vehicle manufacturers in Coventry regarding the closure of the Coventry motor vehicle licensing office. [15220]

Mr. Norris

In August 1994, it was announced that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency was to close all its local offices, including Coventry, by 1997. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Retail Motor Industry Federation were informed through their normal links with the agency. No consultation was undertaken with individual manufacturers. A later review completed in January showed a continuing need for a local office presence and although 40 of the 50 offices will remain, open 10—including Coventry—will still close by 1997.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what considerations underlay his Department's decision to close the Coventry motor vehicle licensing office. [15213]

Mr. Norris

In August 1994 my right hon. Friend wrote to the hon. Member to announce the closure of the vehicle registration office in Coventry. Although a more recent review has recommended retention of 40 offices, the one in Coventry is still planned to close.

The overall aim is to reduce the network's operating costs and to match its size to the expected future work patterns. In the case of Coventry, the lease on the premises had expired.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what extra provision he has made for increases in registration at the Nottingham motor vehicle licensing office from March. [15214]

Mr. Norris

Motor dealers who currently use Coventry vehicle registration office which is to close in March have been asked to indicate which vehicle registration offices they would prefer to use to conduct their business in future. That consultation is currently taking place and when complete will indicate what additional work will move to neighbouring offices such as Birmingham, Nottingham and Northampton. Resources will be adjusted to take account of any increases in order to maintain service standards.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average capacity of a motor vehicle licensing office in respect of the issue of vehicle licences. [15215]

Mr. Norris

The capacity of each office varies according to the size and population of the area for which it provides services and the mix of those services, in particular the mix of work between registration and licensing work and vehicle excise duty enforcement. A national average capacity based on licensing work handled by the 50 local offices in 1994–95 would be around 94,000 licences per office per year.