MP MAKES CASE FOR MORAY TEST CENTRE
Posted on Wednesday, July 25 2007
"Services in Moray must be protected and enhanced" - Angus Robertson Moray Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson today [Wednesday] presented the case for an enhanced Driving Test facility in Moray in the House of Commons after successfully securing debating time for the important issue. In the debate the MP for Moray raised key issues with Transport Minister Tom Harris. The issues include road safety for learner drivers having to travel further for tests, the economic impact on local instructors, bike shops and other spin-off business and also the protection of government service provision within the Moray area. Mr Robertson also raised questions about the figures used to justify the siting of a centre in Inverness and not Moray, when the figures quoted by the DSA do not appear to take account of demand that would seem to surpass the test capacity in Elgin. During the debate Mr Robertson said: " The various bike instructors in Moray are well thought of and their excellent teaching speaks for itself with Moray having amongst the highest pass rates of any test centre at 83% compared to pass rates in Aberdeen and Inverness that are in the mid 60s percentage range. " Any move to take testing facilities more than an hour's ride away on a very busy trunk road will clearly discourage potential clients from taking advantage of their excellent teaching as students are more likely to want to learn on roads where their test will take place." On the test figures being used by the DSA Mr Robertson said: " It does not take a genius to work out that the DSA are using the statistics to justify their position rather than to give unbiased information. " By failing to give an indication of capacity at the Elgin test centre it suggests that only 20 tests are being requested. I am assured by local trainers that this is not the case." Commenting on the Minister's response during the debate the Moray MP said: " I am disappointed that while the Minister has accepted that there are safety concerns for bikers on the A96 he is unwilling to reconsider test centre siting at this stage. "He also completely failed to grasp the important issue of test numbers. At present Moray provides around 250 tests a year while Inverness provides 330 and Aberdeen 680. " When you then consider that Moray cannot meet test demand then it is easy to see that the demand for tests in Moray could be at a very similar level to Inverness. " When you combine that with the exceptional level of instruction and test pass rates in Moray then there is a very strong argument indeed for a new test centre to be located in the region. " The Minister's response was not satisfactory and I will be in further contact with his department to ensure all the points I made are fully dealt with." NOTES FOR EDITORS: ANGUS ROBERTSON MP - MOTORCYCLE TEST CENTRES SPEECH Westminster Hall Debate - Wednesday 25 July 2007 I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the concerns of my constituents about the centralisation of motorbike testing facilities. Firstly I will go through a brief history of the issue before detailing some general & specific concerns on the processes being followed by the Driving Standards Agency. To put the introduction of new multi-purpose motorcycle test facilities into context we need to go back to the year 2000 when the second EU directive on driving licences was agreed. Subsequently a new set of EU standards was produced that require motorcycle tests to include a variety of new low speed and higher speed manoeuvres that for road safety purposes cannot reasonably be carried out. The consequence of this is the DSA's extensive plans to roll out a network new multi-purpose test centres by October 2008 The DSA's plans include the use of test centres not just for motorcycle activities but also as a base for car test purposes. This brings me on to the reason behind my request for this debate and that is the location of new test centres and the practical and economic impact that these changes will have. In my constituency of Moray we have, until relatively recently, had the benefits of car and motorcycle driving test facilities, an LGV test centre and a theory test centre. Unfortunately the theory test centre has been withdrawn and been replaced with a visiting bus. At present the motorcycle test facilities in my Moray constituency are under threat and motorcycle instructors, learner riders, local driving instructors and business owners are very concerned that the plans to move test facilities to Inverness will be detrimental to learners, their own businesses, bike and bike equipment retailers and to the overall economy of Moray. At this juncture I would like to quote the DSA's Chief Executive Rosemary Thew from her website: "The driver training industry bodies consider the presence and accessibility of test centres as being crucial to their business. The location of test centres therefore provides direct employment and encourages associated employment at local rider training and driving instructing schools." The key phrase in that quote being 'the location of test centres'. Clearly for instructors in Moray the removal of test facilities in the region, and it is exactly that, an entire local authority region, is crucial for their businesses but clearly not in a good way. The various bike instructors in Moray are well thought of and their excellent teaching speaks for itself with Moray having amongst the highest pass rates of any test centre at 83% compared to pass rates in Aberdeen and Inverness that are in the mid 60s percentage range. Any move to take testing facilities more than an hour's ride away on a very busy trunk road will clearly discourage potential clients from taking advantage of their excellent teaching as students are more likely to want to learn on roads where their test will take place. I have written to the Driving Standards Agency on this issue and their response has been somewhat revealing, albeit in what the Agency doesn't say rather than what it does. For example the Agency has said that an average of only 20 tests a month take place in Elgin making it economically unviable for the siting of a multi-purpose test centre, however what they fail to say is that there is only a small capacity for tests in Elgin and when I checked yesterday Elgin's appointment availability was nearly three months away compared to half that time for Inverness. It does not take a genius to work out that the DSA are using the statistics to justify their position rather than to give unbiased information. By failing to give an indication of capacity at the Elgin test centre it suggests that only 20 tests are being requested. I am assured by local trainers that this is not the case. After all if I had to wait 11 weeks for a test in Elgin but could get one 5 weeks earlier in Inverness then there is a fair possibility I would go to Inverness. This gives rise to a very concerning possibility that figures for Elgin are artificially low while test figures for Inverness are artificially inflated and since these figures form part of the basis of assessment for potential new test centre locations we start to see some serious questions arising about the processes and procedures being used in this test centre investment programme. I am also of the view that using bike test figures to assess the need for a multi-purpose test centre in a more rural area like Moray is too narrow an assessment. What would be more appropriate would be considering the combined total of tests for cars, bikes and LGVs and incorporating theory tests and other DSA activities within the same location. Other possibilities could involve the local police who operate the successful 'Pass Plus' scheme and other emergency services using the location for accident demonstration projects targeting young drivers and prospective learners. Combining these activities in a single location would make a far more viable option and would support the local economy rather than shifting important resources elsewhere. In Moray the test centre supports 2 full time and 2 part time instructors and the wider bike related business in Moray includes 5 shops supplying bikes and accessories, which in turn supports additional employment including mechanics and sales staff. Arguably if bikers travel elsewhere for a test they are likely to spend money elsewhere as well. Then there is the all important safety issue. By holding tests in Inverness it means that learner bikers in Moray will have to travel for over an hour on the very busy A96 which already has a reputation for bad accidents. At a recent surgery a learner rider from Lossiemouth in my constituency said that the move would: "force young drivers on to killer roads".While the agency says on its website: "We hope that communities, local authorities and driving instructors will recognise the important role of these new centres in supporting road safety." While bikers going for their tests should generally have a good number of lessons under their belt and have had appropriate instruction it would not necessarily be their wish to well over an hour on a low-powered bike on a busy road just prior to the stressful experience of a driving test and then have to make the same journey home. I am concerned that far from improving road safety this could put inexperienced riders at unnecessary risk. Going back to the viability of siting a new test centre in Moray I would make the observation that Moray is market town that draws people in from many miles around, there are a variety of potential locations, perhaps the most notable being the current LGV Test Centre just outside Elgin City which is sited at a disused MOD airfield. I would suggest that there is a strong argument to try and obtain a long-term lease or a purchase of land from another government department which would ensure that money spent remains in the public sector. I am sure that the Minister would be able to facilitate a negotiation through his colleagues in the Ministry of Defence. Another aspect that could be considered would be sharing offices in the Moray area with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency or adding a local face-to-face contact point for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Bascially there is significant scope for combining the variety of services the department provides in one location. A bit of creative thinking could bring improved access to services and, indeed, provide cross agency working and efficiencies rather than just focussing on centralising one aspect of the DSA's activity to the significant detriment of Moray. Bikers are set to join a demonstration in Moray next month and it is my understanding that hundreds of bikers plan to attend to express their frustration at these plans. Will the Minister take action to ensure that bikers in more rural areas are not unduly discriminated against and that excessive government centralisation, which is already causing substantial problems with other departments' delivery of services, will cease? Will the Minister also give an assurance that he will seek answers as to whether the way test centre figures are being used is appropriate and meaningful and if necessary order a review of the rollout of multi-purpose test centres.Ends.
ROBERTSON SLAMS 'MADCAP' MINIMUM WAGE CUT PLAN
Posted on Wednesday, July 25 2007
SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP, has today slammed proposals to abolish a national minimum wage, in order to allow increases in the rate payable in London and the South of England at the expense of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the North of England. The proposals, contained in a report written by Professor David Smith of the University of Derby for The Economic Research Council, argued that people outside of the South of England should receive lower unemployment benefits and be paid a less generous minimum wage. The rationale for this being that the benefits system as presently constituted was 'unfair and intrusive', and fuelled a 'dole culture' in the North which penalised 'more productive' Southerners. Mr Robertson said:" This proposal is barking mad. The SNP campaigned for years for a minimum wage in order to make work pay and allow people to lift themselves out of poverty. " Any idea that the minimum wage should be cut anywhere is a madcap idea, and to hear Labour sources describing a 'regional minimum wage' as the 'logical next step' is deeply worrying. Gordon Brown must distance himself from this hare-brained scheme immediately by rejecting it out of hand." ENDS.
COMMONS COMMITTEE REPORT VINDICATES SNP BENEFITS POSITION
Posted on Wednesday, July 25 2007
Moray SNP MP Angus Robertson has welcomed a committee report from the House of Commons that completely vindicates SNP Policy on the Benefits System. The report by the House of Commons work and pensions committee called for a wholesale review of the entire benefits system, without which it said "meaningful simplification" was impossible. The committee described the current benefits system as 'stunningly complex' with the Department for Work and Pensions responsible for 40 different benefits, with different rules applications processes. The committee went on to add that the much criticised Tax Credits system added "a further layer of complexity". This assessment of the benefits system completely supports the SNP's long-stated position that the benefits system requires a complete root and branch review. The report also comes at a time when major concerns are being raised about centralisation of civil service jobs and the effects that this will have in Moray and other less populated areas of the country. At a recent meeting in Elgin with PCS union members Mr Robertson and his Moray SNP colleague Richard Lochhead MSP heard how service delivery was being seriously compromised and staff morale was at a severe low. Commenting on the report Angus Robertson said: " These conclusions come as no surprise to the SNP. We have been calling for a wholesale review for years. " What we need is a modernised, simplified benefits system that is understandable to claimants. Whether people have to claim because they are unable to find work, are sick, disabled or claiming family and pensioner benefits, they should not face a maze of complex forms and phone calls because all the local face-to-face workers have been taken away. " We need a service that is effective and delivered locally, supporting local people and providing good jobs in the community, rather than Gordon Brown's deeply flawed vision of a faceless phone service. " The government's own MPs are now accusing them of failing to consult on key welfare proposals. That is simply not acceptable and demonstrates and complete lack of vision for the future of our society." Ends.
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