Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers
Mr Attwood: Driving tests in Northern Ireland are carried out by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) and
are conducted from 16 locations; Armagh, Ballymena, Belfast (2 sites), Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon,
Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Larne, Lisburn, Londonderry (2 sites), Newry, Newtownards and Omagh.
All Driving Examiners, both in Northern Ireland and in Britain, are trained at the Cardington driving
training establishment in Bedfordshire which is run by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).
DVA, as part of DoE, places high priority on standards; ensuring candidates who pass the driving test
meet the minimum safe criteria for driving on their own and there are robust procedures in place to
ensure these standards are consistently applied and maintained.
During the driving test each candidate is assessed against strict criteria, and if they do not succeed in
all required competences they are offered a full debrief, with their instructor present if they so wish.
Driving test candidates are directed around a legally compliant test route, as prescribed in European
legislation. Each test centre has a minimum of 6 test routes which are, as far as possible, equal in
relation to the type of road network and traffic densities. This provides equality for all candidates and
ensures they all demonstrate skills in similar conditions and on roads they will encounter once they
pass their driving test.
DVA carry out regular quality assurance checks on all driving examiners, minimum of one day per year,
to ensure the standards they apply are correct and consistent. This entails a supervising examiner
accompanying a driving examiner during live tests. The supervisor observes the work of the examiner
from quality, standards and customer care perspectives. In addition, examiners are provided with
refresher training and in 2010-11, for example, all DVA examiners received a further five days of training.
European Driving Directive 2006/126/EC is scheduled for implementation on 19 January 2013.
This Directive will, amongst other things, introduce European standards for the initial qualification,
quality assurance and periodic training of examiners authorised to conduct practical tests for licence
acquisition. Current DVA practice is broadly in line with the requirements of the Directive and, in terms
of examiner supervision, exceeds these requirements.
I very much understand the point that the member is making, have discussed the matter with DVA,
have asked that DVA continues to monitor to ensure consistency and proper treatment.
Illegal Driving Instructors
Mr McGlone asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (i) the investigations that have taken place
into the operation of illegal driving instructors; (ii) what were the findings of the investigations; and (iii)
how the matter is monitored.
(AQW 12983/11-15)
Mr Attwood: The Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) administers and maintains the register of approved
driving instructors (ADIs) on behalf of the Department under the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order
2007. It is illegal for anyone to charge for instruction in driving a car or motorcycle unless they are
registered with the Department.
Although anecdotal evidence suggests there may be some incidents of unregistered driving instruction,
the extent of it is difficult to gauge. Evidence is hard to obtain since it must be established that a
person has paid money for instruction and learners are often unwilling to complain to the PSNI or DVA.
DVA investigates all substantive allegations of unregistered instruction where evidence has been
presented and it works closely on the issue with the Road Traffic Policing Division of PSNI, which has
responsibility for enforcement and prosecution.
While it is not possible to provide information on individual investigations, DVA has a process in place
to deal with any information received.
Following a report of alleged unregistered instruction DVA obtains information, including candidate
details, from the Agency’s driving test booking system. This identifies if the reported vehicle has been
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