Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers
That said, I believe Ministers should stretch their Departments to transfer functions that properly
should rest with Councils.
Arm’s Length Bodies
Mr Gardiner asked the Minister of the Environment how many former senior civil servants, from deputy
secretary grade to permanent secretary grade, serve on the boards of his Department’s arm’s length
bodies in a (i) paid; and (ii) unpaid capacity.
(AQW 12095/11-15)
Mr Attwood: As Minister of the Environment I have responsibility for appointing individuals to the
following public bodies:
■ The Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC);
■ The Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland (LGSC);
■ The Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC);
■ The Historic Buildings Council (HBC) and
■ The Historic Monuments Council (HMC).
I can confirm that there are currently no former senior civil servants from deputy secretary grade to
permanent secretary grade serving on the boards of the Department’s arms length bodies.
Basic Training for Motorcycle Instructors
Mr Hussey asked the Minister of the Environment for his assessment of the current legislation and the
processes in place for the compulsory basic training for motorcycle instructors.
(AQW 12134/11-15)
Mr Attwood: Compulsory basic training (CBT) for motorcyclists was introduced in Northern Ireland in
February 2011, requiring learner motorcyclists to undertake initial training before being allowed to ride
unaccompanied on public roads.
The relevant legislation is contained in Articles 5 and 13 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order
1981, as amended, and in the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern
Ireland) 2011.
The legislation introduced the requirement for learner riders of mopeds and motorcycles to complete
CBT, and set out the requirements for the training courses, including the syllabus for each of the three
modules. The legislation largely reflects that in place in Britain, where the CBT scheme has been
operating for a number of years, while taking account of recommendations made in a review of the
effectiveness of the scheme there.
Before the legislation was drafted, a public consultation was undertaken, and the respondents were
subsequently invited to become part of a stakeholder group established by my Department to help
design the scheme in Northern Ireland. The stakeholder group met regularly from December 2009 to
February 2011, when CBT was introduced.
In Northern Ireland CBT courses can be conducted only by approved motorcycle instructors (AMIs) who
are on the Department’s register. Once registered as an AMI, an instructor who wishes to deliver CBT
must also apply to the Department for authorisation to conduct CBT courses. There are 57 approved
motorcycle instructors in Northern Ireland, of whom 43 are authorised to deliver CBT. Since the
legislation was introduced in February 2011, more than 2200 CBT certificates have been issued.
Authorised AMI CBT instructors are issued with manuals which give detailed guidance on instruction
techniques, course content and administrative procedures. Electronic copies of the manuals are also
available online.
WA 513