§ 16. Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on changes to the rules governing advanced driving instructors. [152286]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe periodic re-assessment of car driving instructors is already provided for in their registration scheme. We are going to use modern computer-based assessment to check that instructors have kept up to date with the modern syllabus for learning to drive and can demonstrate high levels of hazard perception skills.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department has commissioned into the benefits of requiring driving instructors to be reassessed after 15 years; [151986]
825W(2) what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the implications for driving instructors of a requirement to be reassessed after 15 years. [151987]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe periodic re-assessment of driving instructors is already provided for in their registration scheme. The frequency of assessments varies according to the standard of the instructor. The higher the standard, the greater the interval until a further re-assessment takes place. Every instructor should have at least one assessment during their four-year period of registration. A research report published in 2000, recommended that the current method of periodic reassessments should be retained. The report made no recommendation that instructors should be reassessed at 15 year intervals. In the circumstances, we see no need to hold discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry.