Number of practical car driving tests with interpreter at Blackburn with Darwen and Nelson DTC and number of voiceovers at Bolton TTC
Published 16 August 2013
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
This is Freedom of Information request IA/0002013.
1. Request 1
The number of learner drivers that had an interpreter sit in on their practical driving test at Blackburn with Darwen and Nelson in 2011 and 2012.
2. Response
The table below shows the number of learner drivers who have had an interpreter accompany them on their practical driving test at Blackburn with Darwen Driving Test Centre (DTC) and Nelson DTC in 2011 and 2012 (until 30 November 2012).
Year | Blackburn with Darwen DTC | Nelson DTC |
---|---|---|
2011 | 155 | 74 |
2012 | 332 | 97 |
Total | 487 | 171 |
3. Request 2
The number of learner drivers that had a foreign language voiceover at their car theory test at the Bolton theory test centre in 2011 and 2012.
4. Response
The table below shows the number of theory tests conducted at Bolton TTC where a voiceover was used. Please note that English is also an available voiceover.
Year | Voiceovers including English | Voiceovers excluding English |
---|---|---|
2011 | 1,952 | 1,213 |
2012 | 1,988 | 1,204 |
Total | 3,940 | 2,417 |
5. Request 3
The top five most frequently used voiceover languages at the car theory test at the Bolton theory test centre in 2011 and 2012.
6. Response
The table below shows the top five voiceovers requested at Bolton TTC. Please note that English was the most requested language in both years, but has been excluded from the list.
Language | Number of Tests 2011 |
---|---|
Urdu | 568 |
Gujurati | 173 |
Kurdish | 142 |
Polish | 81 |
Farsi | 73 |
Language | Number of Tests 2012 |
---|---|
Urdu | 555 |
Gujurati | 199 |
Kurdish | 124 |
Polish | 72 |
Arabic | 59 |
7. Request 4
If there is there a cost to the taxpayer in providing interpreters or voiceovers; if so, what is it?
8. Response
We have previously responded to a similar request for this information and our response is published on our website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/driving-test-translator-costs. This information is therefore exempt under section 21 (information accessible by other means) of the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA). A copy of this exemption in full can be found at Annex A.
9. Request 5
If FOI requests of a similar nature have already been asked could you please include your responses to those requests.
10. Response
Our FoI responses are published on our website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=driving-standards-agency&publication_type=foi-releases. This information is therefore, also exempt under section 21 of the FoIA.