To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many weighbridges have been operated by his Department in each of the last eight years; how many of those weighbridges have been dysfunctional due to disrepair or other causes; if he will specify any other causes for weighbridge dysfunctionality than mechanical disrepair; and if he will make a statement.

The details are:

Year	Number of weighbridges	Number out of action
1982–83	34	Not known
1983–84	47	Not known
1984–85	50	Not known
1985–86	56	17
1986–87	59	13
1987–88	60	8

The most serious problems have arisen where the concrete slab in which the weighbridge sits has fallen outside the tight level of tolerance required to meet the DTp code of practice for vehicle weighing.