HC Deb 10 January 2000 vol 342 cc4-5W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much the medical section of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency pays to private opticians to conduct sight tests and field tests. [104080]

Mr. Hill

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has only just started to use private opticians. DVLA currently pays optometrists £35 to undertake each visual field test, which, on current volumes of tests, will amount to an annual total of £280,000.