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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) which MOT testing stations are on a final warning from the Vehicle Inspectorate; [103128] (2) which garages have lost their licence to carry out MOT tests in each of the past five years. [103129] Mr. Hill: A warning is issued to Authorised Examiners for shortcomings in the testing requirements, but the standard of testing remains acceptable within the scheme. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to release details of warnings issued. When an Authorised Examiner is withdrawn from the MOT testing scheme, they are required to remove all signs and documentation connected with the MOT scheme which gives a clear indication that the garage is not authorised to carry out MOT tests. Authorised Examiners cannot normally reapply for authorisation within a period of five years. To publish the identities of Authorised Examiners withdrawn from the scheme could be prejudicial to any of their other business interests unconnected with the MOT testing scheme and therefore a list of those withdrawn from the scheme is not published. There are about 18,500 private garages authorised as MOT testing stations. The number of Authorised Examiners withdrawn from the scheme in each of the past five years and the number of warnings issued in the same period are shown in the table. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Authorised examiners withdrawn Authorised examiners warned 1998-99 143 1,058 1997-98 141 1,401 1996-97 181 1,571 1995-96 167 1,333 1994-95 135 1,338 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

341 c530W; 103128;103129

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Licensing Garages and petrol stations Motor vehicles Standards Testing Vehicle Inspectorate

Contains statistics

Yes