asked the Minister for the Environment the reason the waiting period for driving tests is up to nine months in many cases although he has promised that tests would be given within six weeks; the steps he proposes to take to reduce the waiting period to a reasonable length of time; and the average number of tests carried out per week by each tester.
Written Answers. - Driving Tests.
182.
At present, the average delay in carrying out driving tests is 23 weeks. Driver testers are so deployed to test centres that the waiting period for a test is maintained as far as practicable at a uniform level throughout the country. The main reasons for the delays are the general constraints on the recruitment of public servants, retirements of driver testers, and the increased demand for tests in recent years.
I have taken the following steps to reduce delays: first, six building inspectors have been redeployed to driver testing duties. Arrangements are being made to redeploy further staff to increase the staff complement of driver testers from 50 to 58 as soon as possible. Second, I introduced Saturday tests in addition to the normal Monday to Friday tests. Third I have made regulations requiring applicants to give at least one weeks notice of cancellation of a driving test appointment instead of three days. This has facilitated the reallocation of cancelled appointments.
During the first nine months of this year, the average number of tests carried out per week by each tester was 27.