HC Deb 24 January 2000 vol 343 cc137-8W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 13 January 2000,Official Report, column 210W, concerning the DVLA, how many people waited longer than (a) five, (b) eight, (c) 10, (d) 15 and (e) 20 weeks for car or motorcycle licences which required a medical investigation by the DVLA Medical Unit in each month of 1999. [106715]

Mr. Hill

The information is not available in the form requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the(a) total and (b) unit cost of the DVLA's payments to private medical practitioners to process driving licence applications where the applicant declared a medical condition, in the most recent year for which figures are available. [106572]

Mr. Hill

In the financial year ended March 1999, a total of £2,576,233 was paid for 120,561 medical examinations (including opticians) an average payment of £20.98.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 13 January 2000,Official Report, column 210W, concerning the DVLA, how many people waited longer than (a) seven, (b) 10, (c) 15, (d) 20 and (e) 25 weeks for a bus or lorry licence which required a medical investigation by the DVLA Medical Unit in each month of 1999. [106733]

Mr. Hill

The information is not available in the form requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 249W, concerning the use of private opticians by DVLA, how the annual saving of £504,000 relates to the extra costs of £280,000 referred to in his answer of 10 January 2000, Official Report, column 5W. [106697]

Mr. Hill

The DVLA Medical Unit refers some 8,000 applicants per annum for visual field tests. The cost for NHS Consultant Ophthalmologists was £98 per test, some £784,000 per annum. Using private Optometrists, the fee will be £35 per test, or £280,000 per annum which gives an annual saving of £504,000.