Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who are currently trying to book a driving theory test in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has a key performance indicator (KPI) to provide theory test candidates with a test appointment within 28 days of their preferred date which is measured as a regional average. Despite unprecedented levels of demand for theory tests this KPI is consistently met.
The average waiting time for a practical driving test at Dumfries driving test centre is currently 15.5 weeks.
It is not possible to confirm how many people are trying to book a driving theory test. DVSA only holds data on the number of tests booked.
On the 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times.
In the coming months, DVSA will:
DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in the Southeast to provide as many tests as possible. Since July last year, DVSA has recruited and trained 344 driving examiners (DE) who are now in post and delivering driving tests. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
During 2025, DVSA has recruited three new driving examiners for Carlisle test centre, which will help to provide additional resource and cover for Dumfries driving test centre. DVSA is continuing to review recruitment on a regular basis and although Dumfries driving test centre is currently at capacity, DVSA will review options to increase test availability, including offering overtime to examiners.
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average wait time is for 1) a driving theory test and 2) a driving test in Dumfries and Galloway constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has a key performance indicator (KPI) to provide theory test candidates with a test appointment within 28 days of their preferred date which is measured as a regional average. Despite unprecedented levels of demand for theory tests this KPI is consistently met.
The average waiting time for a practical driving test at Dumfries driving test centre is currently 15.5 weeks.
It is not possible to confirm how many people are trying to book a driving theory test. DVSA only holds data on the number of tests booked.
On the 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times.
In the coming months, DVSA will:
DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in the Southeast to provide as many tests as possible. Since July last year, DVSA has recruited and trained 344 driving examiners (DE) who are now in post and delivering driving tests. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
During 2025, DVSA has recruited three new driving examiners for Carlisle test centre, which will help to provide additional resource and cover for Dumfries driving test centre. DVSA is continuing to review recruitment on a regular basis and although Dumfries driving test centre is currently at capacity, DVSA will review options to increase test availability, including offering overtime to examiners.
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of (a) driving theory tests and (b) driving tests in Dumfries and Galloway constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has a key performance indicator (KPI) to provide theory test candidates with a test appointment within 28 days of their preferred date which is measured as a regional average. Despite unprecedented levels of demand for theory tests this KPI is consistently met.
The average waiting time for a practical driving test at Dumfries driving test centre is currently 15.5 weeks.
It is not possible to confirm how many people are trying to book a driving theory test. DVSA only holds data on the number of tests booked.
On the 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times.
In the coming months, DVSA will:
DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in the Southeast to provide as many tests as possible. Since July last year, DVSA has recruited and trained 344 driving examiners (DE) who are now in post and delivering driving tests. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
During 2025, DVSA has recruited three new driving examiners for Carlisle test centre, which will help to provide additional resource and cover for Dumfries driving test centre. DVSA is continuing to review recruitment on a regular basis and although Dumfries driving test centre is currently at capacity, DVSA will review options to increase test availability, including offering overtime to examiners.
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Mike Kane
There are no permanent civil servants within DfTc and the Agencies without assigned posts.
The Department for Transport (DfTc and the Agencies) has a priority movers list/redeployment register. Within a payroll workforce of over 16000*, the number of people currently on the register for DfTc and the Agencies as of 6th June 2025 is 61.
*Payroll staff total headcount DfT: workforce management information, April 2025 - GOV.UK
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much (a) her Department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies has spent on external public relations since 5 July 2024; and which firms that funding went to.
Answered by Mike Kane
A summary of the department and it’s Arm’s Length Bodies spend on external public relations since 5 July 2024 is as follows:
Department for Transport, DVSA, DVLA and National Highways: £0
Maritime and Coastguard Agency: £24,560 with the agency 23Red.
Network Rail: £21,250 with agencies Four Communications and On Broadcast.
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Department has had no spend on media and voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Leader of the House in response to the question from the hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway of 14 November 2024, Official Report, column 935, when she plans to respond in relation to the money earmarked for the A75.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor committed to move forward feasibility work on improvements to the A75 by providing up to £5 million to the Scottish Government in 2025-26.
Initial work has been done by Transport Scotland to scope out possible options for the realignment of the A75 around the settlements of Springholm and Crocketford. Following the Budget, the Scottish Government announced they have awarded a contract to progress this work.