Firstly, let me say that i commiserate as i have had similar experiences, but not with a steering issue.
The headlamp is a simple(ish) job, but my experience is that it is quicker to remove the light pod from the pivot bracket unless you have thin dextrous fingers (which i aint!).
But like many others, i think the garage *could* have offered to do it for you FOC.
As for the steering, if they 'apprentice' is the one operating the controlls, it is not his decision to pass or fail the component. By all means, he can assist the tester in this way, but if he says it is not good enough, the qualified tester should have a look, as it is his name on the failure ticket.
Like others, i would suggest taking it elsewhere (not necessarily a garage, perhaps a local LEC member who knows what they're on about (Spud
) and get a second opinion.
If it is okay (or at least, no different than any other) then you have 2 options - either take it back to the garage and speak to the qualified tester who failed it (with a written report, perhaps?) or take it to another test centre and see what happens.
Alternatively, if you are totaly confident that they got it wrong, and should have issued a test certificate (either by it passing elsewhere, or an 'expert' saying it is okay as it is), then you can appeal the decision to issue the failure notice.
For that you need to phone 0870 6040440 - full details are on the back of the VT30 notice - Refusal of an MOT Certificate notice - at paragraph (6).
This isn't always a quick option, but it does mean that the garage that wrongly issue a failure notice get dealt with.
Perhaps the quickest way to get it sorted is to pop into a different garage and ask the MOT tester there for his opinion on the steering - it'll take a couple of minutes and shouldn't cost anything - if he says it's okay, either get them to do a full test, or consider an appeal.
as this can damage the power steering and the daft twit should know this 
) and to fix the headlamp.
