Can the Minister explain to us how, if the number of applicants for testing has gone up by 19 per cent and the number of testers has gone up by almost 50 per cent, the period of waiting for tests is still lengthening?

I said nine driver testers were appointed during 1978 which brought the total to 60.

That is still 20 per cent and is in line with the increase in the number of applicants. That being so, why do people have to wait longer now than previously?

We always had a backlog but the backlog has increased drastically in 1978. The number of testers was increased during that year but we did not have the nine extra testers all at once. They were recruited over the year.

Arising out of the Minister's reply in relation to the number of testers that were subsequently employed, in view of the Government's overall economic strategy was such an increase in the number of registrations forecast and were the relieving measures that he now talks about already anticipated by the Department of Economic Planning and Development and if not why not?

I suggest that the Deputy should put that question to the Department concerned.

They are the Minister's testers. Presumably he talks to them. Apparently the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.