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Written Question
Shipping: Conditions of Employment
Wednesday 29th March 2023

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy introduce to a mandatory seafarers welfare charter.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Seafarers’ Charter will initially launch on a voluntary basis. We continue to explore options to further enhance seafarer welfare and keep the need for further legislation under review.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Jarrow
Monday 4th April 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who owns the building which accommodates the DVSA South Shields Driving Test Centre on the Bede Industrial Estate in Jarrow.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency owns the building that accommodates South Shields driving test centre.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Jarrow
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much income from driving tests the DVSA South Shields Test Centre has received in each of the last five years.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The ground lease at South Shields driving test centre (DTC) ends on 19/12/2119.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not pay annual rent for South Shields DTC, but it is responsible for all the annual running costs including maintenance.

Many of the sites used by the DVSA deliver more than just the driving test service, and vary in size and capacity. The DVSA estimates the average annual rental of single purpose driving test sites is £16,400 per annum.

There has only been one lease over the last 10 years, which is the current ground lease.

The following data shows the income from driving tests at South Shields DTC over the last five years:

  • 2016 = £286,452.00
  • 2017 = £297,113.00
  • 2018 = £262,725.00
  • 2019 = £282,882.00
  • 2020 = £143,047.00
  • 2021 = £219,279.00


Written Question
Driving Tests: Jarrow
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the expired leases for (a) ground and (b) building at South Shields Driving Test Centre in the Jarrow constituency over the last 10 years.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The ground lease at South Shields driving test centre (DTC) ends on 19/12/2119.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not pay annual rent for South Shields DTC, but it is responsible for all the annual running costs including maintenance.

Many of the sites used by the DVSA deliver more than just the driving test service, and vary in size and capacity. The DVSA estimates the average annual rental of single purpose driving test sites is £16,400 per annum.

There has only been one lease over the last 10 years, which is the current ground lease.

The following data shows the income from driving tests at South Shields DTC over the last five years:

  • 2016 = £286,452.00
  • 2017 = £297,113.00
  • 2018 = £262,725.00
  • 2019 = £282,882.00
  • 2020 = £143,047.00
  • 2021 = £219,279.00


Written Question
Driving Tests: Offices
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the average annual rent costs for DVSA test centres across the UK.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The ground lease at South Shields driving test centre (DTC) ends on 19/12/2119.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not pay annual rent for South Shields DTC, but it is responsible for all the annual running costs including maintenance.

Many of the sites used by the DVSA deliver more than just the driving test service, and vary in size and capacity. The DVSA estimates the average annual rental of single purpose driving test sites is £16,400 per annum.

There has only been one lease over the last 10 years, which is the current ground lease.

The following data shows the income from driving tests at South Shields DTC over the last five years:

  • 2016 = £286,452.00
  • 2017 = £297,113.00
  • 2018 = £262,725.00
  • 2019 = £282,882.00
  • 2020 = £143,047.00
  • 2021 = £219,279.00


Written Question
Driving Tests: Jarrow
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much annual rent is paid by the DVSA for the South Shields Test Centre in the Jarrow constituency.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The ground lease at South Shields driving test centre (DTC) ends on 19/12/2119.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not pay annual rent for South Shields DTC, but it is responsible for all the annual running costs including maintenance.

Many of the sites used by the DVSA deliver more than just the driving test service, and vary in size and capacity. The DVSA estimates the average annual rental of single purpose driving test sites is £16,400 per annum.

There has only been one lease over the last 10 years, which is the current ground lease.

The following data shows the income from driving tests at South Shields DTC over the last five years:

  • 2016 = £286,452.00
  • 2017 = £297,113.00
  • 2018 = £262,725.00
  • 2019 = £282,882.00
  • 2020 = £143,047.00
  • 2021 = £219,279.00


Written Question
Driving Tests: Jarrow
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on what date the (a) ground lease and (b) any other leases are due to end at South Shields Driving Test Centre in the Jarrow constituency.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The ground lease at South Shields driving test centre (DTC) ends on 19/12/2119.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not pay annual rent for South Shields DTC, but it is responsible for all the annual running costs including maintenance.

Many of the sites used by the DVSA deliver more than just the driving test service, and vary in size and capacity. The DVSA estimates the average annual rental of single purpose driving test sites is £16,400 per annum.

There has only been one lease over the last 10 years, which is the current ground lease.

The following data shows the income from driving tests at South Shields DTC over the last five years:

  • 2016 = £286,452.00
  • 2017 = £297,113.00
  • 2018 = £262,725.00
  • 2019 = £282,882.00
  • 2020 = £143,047.00
  • 2021 = £219,279.00


Written Question
Driving Tests: Buildings
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) square footage, (b) facilities, (c) IT requirements, (d) energy supply, (e) health and safety and (f) specifications are required for each driving test centre examiner to carry out a test.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

As the Minister responsible for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Baroness Vere is happy to meet with the hon Member for Jarrow to discuss the closure of South Shields driving test centre.

DVSA is not able to release building running and occupancy costs as this information is commercially sensitive.

It is usual for the DVSA to allocate two parking bays per the maximum number of examiners that are deployed to test at each location. Facilities needed at a test centre would include two sets of WCs, a waiting room and car parking. The accommodation would need a mains electricity supply with access to plug points and lights, a water supply and the building must be heated and cleaned daily. The required square footage (sqft) per driving examiner is around 550 sqft including workspace (97 sqft in isolation), circulation, amenity, waiting room (for four people), and WC but excluding parking. In order to carry our administrative duties, driving examiners require access to the internet.

The DVSA would need Health & Safety evidence if a building was to be used as a test centre that complied with the statutory requirements as listed below. Compliance must be monitored and maintained in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation, British Standard and Approved Code of Practices:

  • Fire risk assessment
  • Fire alarm maintenance
  • Firefighting equipment maintenance
  • Emergency lighting drop test
  • Insurance inspection lift (if present)
  • Boiler maintenance
  • Electrical installation certificate
  • Lightning protection maintenance
  • Asbestos management inspection
  • Water risk assessment
  • Portable appliance test
  • Radon monitoring

If the building is multi-occupancy, the DVSA would need evidence that all common parts of the building were monitored and maintained for statutory purposes in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation, British Standard and Approved Code of Practices.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Parking
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the requirement on the number of parking bays required for each driving test centre is.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

As the Minister responsible for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Baroness Vere is happy to meet with the hon Member for Jarrow to discuss the closure of South Shields driving test centre.

DVSA is not able to release building running and occupancy costs as this information is commercially sensitive.

It is usual for the DVSA to allocate two parking bays per the maximum number of examiners that are deployed to test at each location. Facilities needed at a test centre would include two sets of WCs, a waiting room and car parking. The accommodation would need a mains electricity supply with access to plug points and lights, a water supply and the building must be heated and cleaned daily. The required square footage (sqft) per driving examiner is around 550 sqft including workspace (97 sqft in isolation), circulation, amenity, waiting room (for four people), and WC but excluding parking. In order to carry our administrative duties, driving examiners require access to the internet.

The DVSA would need Health & Safety evidence if a building was to be used as a test centre that complied with the statutory requirements as listed below. Compliance must be monitored and maintained in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation, British Standard and Approved Code of Practices:

  • Fire risk assessment
  • Fire alarm maintenance
  • Firefighting equipment maintenance
  • Emergency lighting drop test
  • Insurance inspection lift (if present)
  • Boiler maintenance
  • Electrical installation certificate
  • Lightning protection maintenance
  • Asbestos management inspection
  • Water risk assessment
  • Portable appliance test
  • Radon monitoring

If the building is multi-occupancy, the DVSA would need evidence that all common parts of the building were monitored and maintained for statutory purposes in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation, British Standard and Approved Code of Practices.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Jarrow
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the overall running costs of the South Shields Driving Test Centre on the Bede Industrial Estate, Jarrow have been in each of the last five years.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

As the Minister responsible for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Baroness Vere is happy to meet with the hon Member for Jarrow to discuss the closure of South Shields driving test centre.

DVSA is not able to release building running and occupancy costs as this information is commercially sensitive.

It is usual for the DVSA to allocate two parking bays per the maximum number of examiners that are deployed to test at each location. Facilities needed at a test centre would include two sets of WCs, a waiting room and car parking. The accommodation would need a mains electricity supply with access to plug points and lights, a water supply and the building must be heated and cleaned daily. The required square footage (sqft) per driving examiner is around 550 sqft including workspace (97 sqft in isolation), circulation, amenity, waiting room (for four people), and WC but excluding parking. In order to carry our administrative duties, driving examiners require access to the internet.

The DVSA would need Health & Safety evidence if a building was to be used as a test centre that complied with the statutory requirements as listed below. Compliance must be monitored and maintained in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation, British Standard and Approved Code of Practices:

  • Fire risk assessment
  • Fire alarm maintenance
  • Firefighting equipment maintenance
  • Emergency lighting drop test
  • Insurance inspection lift (if present)
  • Boiler maintenance
  • Electrical installation certificate
  • Lightning protection maintenance
  • Asbestos management inspection
  • Water risk assessment
  • Portable appliance test
  • Radon monitoring

If the building is multi-occupancy, the DVSA would need evidence that all common parts of the building were monitored and maintained for statutory purposes in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation, British Standard and Approved Code of Practices.