HC Deb 26 June 1996 vol 280 cc138-40W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the pass and fail rate for (i) the car test, (ii) the light goods vehicle test and (iii) the passenger carrying vehicle test for the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [34006]

Mr. Norris

The pass rates requested are:

Percentage
Test category 1994–95 1995–96
Car 46.9 45.7
LGV 47.5 47.0
PCV 50.0 49.3

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the pass and fail rate for delegated examiners in(a) the private sector and (b) the Post Office for (i) the car test, (ii) the LGV test and (iii) the PCV test for the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [34005]

Mr. Norris

The pass rates requested are:

Percentage
Test category 1994–95 1995–96
(a) Private sector
Car 80.5 93.2
PCV 64.2 62.2

No LGV driving examiners have been appointed to private-sector companies. The car driving examiners that were appointed to private-sector companies have now retired, and there are no plans at present to appoint further ones.

Percentage
Test category 1994–95 1995–96
(b)Post office
Car 52.7 47.5

The Post Office examiners have authority to conduct only care L-tests.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by LGV and PCV driving test centre the pass and fail rate for the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [34007]

Mr. Norris

The pass and fail rates for LGV and for PCV tests by each test centre for 1994–95 and 1995–96 are given in the attached table.

Driving test pass rates (as percentages)
1994–95 1995–96
Name of centre PCV tests LGV tests PCV tests LGV tests
Aberdeen LGV 63 59 67 60
Alvaston LGV 39 49 49 43
Beverley LGV 30 35 50 24
Bishopbriggs LGV 61 59 54 57
Botley LGV 56 50 59 49
Bredbury LGV 46 42 39 43
Bristol LGV 58 51 50 51
Caernarfon LGV 68 58 59 65
Camborne LGV 59 54 65 57
Cambridge LGV 56 59 50 50
Canterbury LGV 46 41 49 41
Carlisle LGV 62 60 66 59
Chelmsford LGV 39 36 46 38
Croydon LGV 44 45 45 43
Culham LGV 56 68 57 69
Darlington LGV 42 41 42 40
Elgin LGV 93 70 91 66
Enfield LGV 39 40 46 41
Exeter LGV 56 51 54 49
Featherstone LGV 37 42 38 39
Galashiels LGV 75 76 64 72
Garretts Green LGV 38 43 42 44
Gillingham LGV 44 42 37 41
Gloucester LGV 43 53 46 50
Gosforth LGV 47 47 49 43
Grimsby LGV 40 38 27 45
Guildford LGV 43 55 43 50
Harlescott LGV 63 64 58 61
Hastings LGV 48 54 60 51
Heywood LGV 46 41 38 34
Inverness LGV 53 53 57 56
Ipswich LGV 60 50 52 49
Kilmarnock LGV 48 59 58 58
Kirkham LGV 62 52 63 47
Lancing LGV 52 48 55 47
Leicester 44 45 43 46
Leighton Buzzard LGV 54 54 55 54
Livingston LGV 62 53 57 56
Llantrisant LGV 54 49 46 48
Neath LGV 52 53 54 53
Norwich LGV 50 44 51 52
Patrick Green LGV 30 33 33 31
Perth LGV 64 66 68 69
Peterborough LGV 43 50 32 43
Plymouth LGV 62 58 56 57
Pontypool LGV 59 53 57 50
Poole LGV/PCV 61 60 60 60
Purfleet LGV 47 39 38 43
Reading LGV 53 51 61 54
Rookley LGV 74 66 62 67
Sheffield LGV 45 40 57 45
Simmonswood LGV 52 47 42 42
Steeton LGV 44 43 30 37
Swynnerton LGV 52 59 57 58
Taunton LGV 53 50 49 53
Upton LGV 41 25 34 28
Walton LGV 32 40 36 36
Watnall LGV 42 37 36 37
Driving test pass rates (as percentages)
1994–95 1995–96
Name of centre PCV tests LGV tests PCV tests LGV tests
Weedon LGV 37 43 37 43
Wrexham LGV 46 47 35 43
Yeading LGV 43 41 40 42

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the implementation of the theory test for LCVs, PCVs and motorcycles has been deferred; and if he will make a statement. [34008]

Mr. Norris

Theory testing for learning motorcyclists is being implemented 1 July 1996 as originally planned. Implementation of the theory tests for LGVs and PCVs has been deferred until 1 January 1997, giving more time to finalise outstanding issues and put in place the necessary legislation, and allow the road haulage, passenger transport and related training industries more opportunity to prepare for the changes.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the exemptions from the theory element of the driving test, the reasons for the exemptions and at what level the decision to exempt particular categories of vehicle was taken. [34009]

Mr. Norris

The following are the arrangements which we have agreed. There will be an exemption between tests to drive different categories of vehicle where this is justified by the content of the relevant theory tests.In view of the overlap of topics for theory test for cars and two-wheelers, a person holding a full licence for car driving will not have to take a theory test as a learner motorcyclist, or vice versa. A person holding a full moped licence obtained after 1 July will not have to take a theory test as a learner car driver or motorcycle rider. If a person obtains a full licence to drive a medium-sized lorry, he will not have to pass a further LGV theory test as pan of seeking a full licence to drive a large lorry. Similarly, if a person obtains a full licence to drive a minibus, he will not have to take a further PCV theory test as part of seeking a full licence to drive a bus or coach. A person will not have a take a separate theory test as part of the test to drive an articulated lorry or vehicle combinations.

There will be an exemption where a further driving test has to be taken to lift a restriction to drive a vehicle within the same category. For example, a person holding a full car licence limited to automatic transmission in order to obtain in unrestricted car driving licence.

There will be no separate theory test for the minor domestic licence categories where drivers will generally also be car drivers and can therefore demonstrate their knowledge within the car driving theory test. These categories are F (tractor), G (road roller), H (tracked vehicle) and K (pedestrian controlled vehicle), L (electrically powered vehicle) and N (vehicle excise duty exempt vehicle). Categories L and N are being dropped as test categories from 1 January 1997, and, from that date, candidates for tests for categories G and H must already hold a full car licence.