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Driving Instructors
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the purpose is of check tests of approved driving instructors; and what effect such tests have had on pass rates since their introduction. [65367]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The check test was introduced in the early 1970s to allow the Department to test an Approved Driving Instructor's continued ability and fitness to give instruction, in the interest of both road safety and consumer protection. It allows the supervising examiner to identify any weaknesses in an instructor's tuition and offer constructive criticism on how he or she might improve their teaching methods.
Although the pass rates for the practical driving test are the same today as they were at the time the check test was introduced its introduction saw a levelling out of a falling pass rate that had gone from 50 per cent. in 1950 to 51 per cent. in 1960 and to 46 per cent. in the early 1970s. The current pass rate is 48 per cent.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many approved driving instructors left the register in the periods (a) 1990 to 30 June 1996, (b) 1 July 1996 to 31 December 1996 and (c) 1 January 1997 to date. [65346]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The number of instructors who left the register during the specified periods were:
| Date | Instructors |
|---|---|
| 1 January 1990 to 30 June 1996 | 17,715 |
| 1 July 1996 to 31 December 1996 | 1,469 |
| 1 January 1997 to 30 November 1998(4) | 7,086 |
(4) Figures for November 1998 are the latest currently available
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many approved driving instructors have ceased to practise but whose licences still have a period to run in the periods (a) 1990 to 30 June 1996, (b) 1 July 1996 to 31 December 1996 and (c) 1 January 1997 to date. [65348]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The information requested is not available. We do not know how many of the instructors whose names appear on the register at any given date are not currently practising.
14 Jan 1999 : Column: 245
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many approved driving instructors have been removed from the register since check testing was introduced. [65349]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Since April 1995, 247 instructors have been removed from the register for failing the check test. Statistics for removal for check test failure are not available for the period prior to that date.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is the Driving Standards Agency's intention to use the proposed log book as a means of regulating the teaching methods of approved driving instructors. [65366]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We see merit in introducing a training logbook for learner drivers. This will be introduced on a voluntary basis in the spring. A logbook will provide instructors and their pupils, and others who supervise learners, such as parents, with a syllabus and encourage them to adopt a structured and progressive approach to driver training. The syllabus, which has been developed in consultation with the driving instruction industry, will enable progress to be charted. The logbook identifies the areas that need to be taught. It does not define the teaching methods to be adopted when covering each topic.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many complaints about the check test have been received by the DSA since the test was introduced, broken down by (a) test centre and (b) the nature of the complaint; and what steps the DSA has taken in response to such complaints. [65373]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Driving Standards Agency does not keep consolidated statistics about the numbers of check test complaints it receives, analysed by test centre or the nature of the complaint. Any complaint from an instructor about a check test would be carefully considered.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions by what means he plans to deliver his target of quadrupling cycling by 2012; and if he will make a statement. [65679]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The target of quadrupling the number of trips by bicycle (on 1996 figures) by the end of 2012, was established by the National Cycling Strategy (NCS). In the White Paper "A New Deal for Transport" published last year, we endorsed that target and recognised the positive contribution that cycling can make towards a transport system that is safe, efficient, clean and fair. The Department requires local authorities as part of their local transport plans to establish local cycling strategies which will contribute to the target of increased cycle use. We will continue to offer guidance to authorities on policy and technical issues, and to work in partnership with other organisations in achieving the NCS objectives.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to issue supplementary guidance to planning guidance on telecommunications masts under PPG(8). [65616]
14 Jan 1999 : Column: 246
Mr. Raynsford:
In July 1998, we published for public comment our proposals for changes to the control of development by licensed telecommunications code system operators under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (GPDO). In November, we announced the outcome of this consultation, and, in particular, our intention to proceed with a new single-stage "prior approval" procedure of 42 days for ground-based masts. The Department is currently preparing the necessary GPDO amendment Order and guidance to implement the changes and will consult on drafts shortly.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to be able to announce his decision on the funding of noise amelioration measures on the A404(M) following the recommendation of the independent report commissioned by the Highways Agency. [65615]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
In our White Paper "A New Deal For Trunk Roads" we announced that we intended to set aside budget for the purpose of providing noise mitigation measures for some of the most serious and pressing cases along existing roads. We also said that we would make a separate announcement regarding the criteria to be used. These criteria are still being finalised and we will make a statement setting them down as soon as we can. It is important that the selection criteria we choose are as fair as possible. Decisions on individual cases such as the A404(M) must wait until those criteria are published.
Mr. Alasdair Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken to ensure that United Kingdom passenger aircraft are millennium compliant. [65084]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My Department has notified all major UK airlines of the need to consider whether their systems will be millennium compliant and advised them to take any remedial action necessary. We are also in close and regular contact with the Civil Aviation Authority (including National Air Traffic Services) who are considering the problem in their role as safety regulator. As part of this process, the CAA are seeking to confirm compliance status of the 2,000 organisations (including UK airlines) which they currently approve. The situation has been and will continue to be monitored on a regular basis. Once the industry has completed their compliance programmes later this year, we will be asking the Chairman of the CAA to provide the Department with appropriate assurances as to the state of readiness of the UK aviation industry. If the CAA have any safety doubts arising from millennium compliance problems, operating authorisations will be withdrawn or withheld.
Ms Osborne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the report by Credit Suisse on the proposed public/private partnership for national air traffic services and assess its implications for the private finance initiative contract for the new Scottish centre. [65418]
14 Jan 1999 : Column: 247
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government have retained Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) to provide investment banking advice in developing proposals for a public private partnership for National Air Traffic Services Ltd. (NATS). The advice produced by CSFB is commercially sensitive and is provided to the Government in confidence as part of the policy development process for the NATS PPP. As such, it would not be appropriate to publish it.
Ms Osborne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the International Civil Aviation Organisation has agreed that the UK Government will continue to provide air traffic services for the Northern Atlantic operation in the event of a public/private partnership for national air traffic services. [65419]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
As my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport explained in his answer of 18 November 1998, Official Report, column 676, we are consulting ICAO on our proposals for National Air Traffic Services Ltd.
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