asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to reduce the waiting time that learner motor cyclists have to wait before being able to take their driving test.
My right hon. Friend is already doing so. Additional examiners have been recruited and trained to produce a net increase of 36 on a year ago. Substantially more are being recruited in order to reduce the waiting time for L tests, including part II of the test for motor cycles. The average wait for part I of the motor cycle test for the Department remains reasonable, but most learner riders take the part I test with the appointed organisation with which they also take their training.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list his Department's driving test centres in Kent, together with their establishment of examiners, actual current strengths of examiners, average waiting time for car and motor cycle driving tests for each centre, respectively, and the current national average waiting times for these categories.
The information requested is:
| Waiting Period (Weeks)'at 24 May 1985 | ||||
| Waiting period (weeks) at 24 May 1985 | ||||
| Complement | In post | L tests motor cars & Pan II m/c | Part I m/c tests | |
| Southern Eastern TA | ||||
| Ashford | 4 | 2 | 24 | — |
| Canterbury/Margate | 6 | 6 | 17 | — |
| Folkestone | 4 | 4 | 14 | — |
| Gillingham* | 6 | 6 | 22 | — |
| Gravesend* | 4 | 4 | 17 | — |
| Heme Bay | 4 | 3 | 20 | — |
| Maidstone | 5 | 4 | 17 | — |
| Tunbridge Wells | 4 | 3 | 21 | — |
| Canterbury HGV | 1 | 1 | — | 13 |
| Gillingham HGV | 2 | 2 | — | 14 |
| Metropolitan TA | ||||
| Belvedere | 6 | 6 | 31 | — |
| Bexleyheath* | 5 | 5 | 30 | — |
| Sevenoaks | 4 | 4 | 23 | — |
| Sidcup | 4 | 4 | 29 | — |
| West Wickham* | 7 | 7 | 30 | — |
| * The numbers of staff in-post include 2 examiners on long term sick leave at Gillingham and 1 each at Gravesend, Bexleyheath and West Wickham. | ||||