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Written Question
Large Goods Vehicles: Driving Tests
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many publicly-booked Driver CPC part 3b tests were conducted in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Bishopbriggs Test Centre in each quarter since April 2021.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the number of part 3b tests conducted in each quarter since April 2021 in the UK, Scotland and at Bishopbriggs test centre.

UK

Scotland

Bishopbriggs test centre

Apr / May / Jun 2021

18761

1066

0

Jul / Aug / Sep 2021

23595

1491

0

Oct / Nov / Dec 2021

27144

1619

0

Jan / Feb / Mar 2022

26391

1742

0

Apr / May / Jun 2022

28386

2056

39

Jul / Aug / Sep 2022

31128

2181

46

Oct / Nov / Dec 2022

28112

1924

45

Jan / Feb / Mar 2023

26334

1825

73

Apr / May / June 2023

22697

1642

71

July / Aug / Sep 2023

20544

1351

68


Written Question
Driving Tests: Large Goods Vehicles
Wednesday 6th December 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Driver CPC part 3b tests were available for public booking in each quarter since April 2021 in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Bishopbriggs Test Centre.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As the database for part 3b test availability is live and constantly changing, it is not possible to accurately calculate the test availability that was available for booking at each historic point in time since April 2021.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Dyslexia
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing adaptations for people with dyslexia sitting the driving theory test.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is dedicated to ensuring all candidates have equal and fair access to the driving theory test.

The DVSA has worked with the British Dyslexia Association to implement changes to the theory test to make it more accessible for learners allowing them to have their knowledge and understanding checked, without putting them at an undue disadvantage.

These changes include:

  • removing continuation questions
  • adding more pictures
  • replacing words like “increase” and “decrease” with words like “faster” and “slower”
  • increasing the font size
  • removing red font

Candidates who have reading difficulties can request an English or Welsh voiceover. This provides candidates with headphones and enables them to listen to the questions and possible answers as many times as needed.

Theory test slots are open to all candidates, but those needing extra support, such as candidates with dyslexia, can request other adaptions including:

  • additional time to take the test (up to double time)
  • someone to read the questions out and record the answers for the candidate
  • using an oral language modifier, who will reword the questions making them easier to understand, changing non-technical words and phrases, and the order of a sentence
  • taking the test in a separate room

If a dyslexic candidate needs something more bespoke, such as certain colour overlays, the DVSA will aim to meet their need.

The DVSA will continue to look at ways in which it can further improve the theory test for candidates with learning difficulties.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Dyslexia
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of driving theory test slots are allocated to learners with dyslexia.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is dedicated to ensuring all candidates have equal and fair access to the driving theory test.

The DVSA has worked with the British Dyslexia Association to implement changes to the theory test to make it more accessible for learners allowing them to have their knowledge and understanding checked, without putting them at an undue disadvantage.

These changes include:

  • removing continuation questions
  • adding more pictures
  • replacing words like “increase” and “decrease” with words like “faster” and “slower”
  • increasing the font size
  • removing red font

Candidates who have reading difficulties can request an English or Welsh voiceover. This provides candidates with headphones and enables them to listen to the questions and possible answers as many times as needed.

Theory test slots are open to all candidates, but those needing extra support, such as candidates with dyslexia, can request other adaptions including:

  • additional time to take the test (up to double time)
  • someone to read the questions out and record the answers for the candidate
  • using an oral language modifier, who will reword the questions making them easier to understand, changing non-technical words and phrases, and the order of a sentence
  • taking the test in a separate room

If a dyslexic candidate needs something more bespoke, such as certain colour overlays, the DVSA will aim to meet their need.

The DVSA will continue to look at ways in which it can further improve the theory test for candidates with learning difficulties.


Written Question
Driving Tests: Dyslexia
Wednesday 6th September 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there are differences in waiting times for driving theory tests for learners with dyslexia and those without.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is dedicated to ensuring all candidates have equal and fair access to the driving theory test.

There are no differences in waiting times for driving theory tests for learners with dyslexia and for those without.


Written Question
Unmanned Air Vehicles: Delivery Services
Monday 24th April 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of using Beyond Visual Line of Sight uncrewed aircraft to provide supplies to rural and isolated communities.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government is committed to delivering the economic and social benefits of drone use to communities across the UK. This includes working across Government, industry and the regulator – the Civil Aviation Authority – to create the right conditions for BVLOS operations to proceed routinely and effectively without compromising the safety of our airspace. The newly established Future of Flight Industry Group includes representatives from commercial drone operators and local authorities to ensure that this work is taken forward alongside industry and local communities.


Written Question
Unmanned Air Vehicles
Wednesday 19th April 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the UK is able to take advantage of (a) drones and remotely piloted aircraft and (b) other emerging flight technologies.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The UK’s strategic vision is to maximise benefits of future flight technologies – for the economy and for communities – whilst ensuring their emergence is both safe and secure, positioning us as a global leader. The Government will soon publish a Future of Flight Plan to set out strategic direction for this burgeoning industry, developed through the newly established Future of Flight Industry Group (FFIG). The first meeting of the FFIG was held on 8 March 2023 and chaired by the Aviation Minister.


Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Sales
Monday 27th March 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to take further steps with Cabinet colleagues to encourage road users to transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles, in the context of Net Zero targets.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government recognises that a whole package of measures is needed to support the switch to zero emission driving.

HM Treasury has ensured that EVs continue to benefit from a favourable tax regime. There are now over a million plug-in vehicles on UK roads, the majority of which are exempt or pay minimal VED. From 2025, electric vehicles will still have preferential first year rates of VED in comparison to the most polluting vehicles. There are also preferential rates of company car tax for EVs out to April 2028. These measures will continue to support the uptake of electric vehicles.

Ministers across government departments continue to collaborate on the implementation of the Net Zero Strategy. In the Strategy, the Government announced that it will introduce a zero emission vehicle mandate, setting targets for a percentage of manufacturers' new car and van sales to be zero emission each year from 2024. The Government will shortly publish more details on the design of the ZEV mandate, including uptake trajectories, and accompanying CO2 emissions regulation.


Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Carbon Emissions and Safety
Monday 27th March 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a comparative between trends in the level of SUV use and levels of (a) road safety and (b) pollution.

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

Trends in the level of SUV use are not held by the Department for Transport. The definition of SUV and the use of these vehicles is imprecise.


Written Question
Travel Requirements: Coronavirus
Thursday 20th January 2022

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of recognising covid-19 vaccinations administered in Mexico.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government is taking a phased approach to the rollout of our inbound vaccination programme and will continue to work with international partners to expand the policy to more countries and territories where it is safe to do so. Vaccine certification between countries and territories varies considerably and the government has published minimum criteria on gov.uk that both digital and paper certificates must meet.