Performance-related Pay At The DSA?

Sub-standard learner drivers are passing their test in order to meet Government targets, a former examiner has claimed. Pete Murray (image) made the allegation after being unfairly dismissed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) for failing too many candidates.

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09th March 2005

"Any examiner whose pass rate differs from their test centre's average by 10 per cent is investigated," he said. "The only way I could have met the target was to pass poor drivers, which I wasn't prepared to do." The DSA wouldn't comment on Murray's tribunal success, but a spokeswoman said: "We don't look to maintain pass rates at test centres, but we ensure examination standards are consistent. One of our tests looks at examiners whose pass rate differs by 10 per cent from their centre average." The spokeswoman admitted the agency runs a bonus pay system. She said it was based on the DSA's performance as a whole, and confirmed examiners who under-performed may not get a share.