Vol. 517 No. 5
29 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the total number of cars called for testing which were not presented at national car testing centres; the steps, if any, been taken in regard to these cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10049/00]
The national car testing service offers owners of cars liable for the national car test a provisional appointment to carry out a test, in advance of the due date for the test. Owners are expected to confirm the provisional appointment or to make an alternative one.
A total of 184,000 owners were offered appointments for tests by the national car testing service by 31 March 2000 but over 20,000 of the appointments are in respect of provisional test appointments after that date. Some 65,000 tests, excluding re-tests, have been carried out since testing commenced. Over 37,000 of the test appointments offered were in respect of vehicles, the tax on which had expired at least three months before the appointment date. Consequently these are thought to be out of use for various reasons, for example, because they have been scrapped, laid up or sold and so would not be presented for a test.
