§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when he received the report he commissioned on staffing levels in the road safety education branch; what were its conclusions; and what measures he has taken to implement these; [12444]
(2) what assessment he has made of the staffing levels for road safety education officers relative to those in Great Britain. [12451]
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§ Mr. MossThe Department received this report in October 1996. It compared staffing levels with those in Great Britain and recommended, among other things, that the number of road safety education officers be increased. I have decided, in the light of competing priorities for road safety funding, that the planned level of staffing remains appropriate and do not propose to increase their numbers. Road safety remains a priority for the Government and the overall resources allocated to it, particularly for passenger and goods vehicle enforcement and accident remedial and traffic calming measures, continue to increase year on year.
I am placing copies of the report in the Library.