Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) statutory requirements he is subject to in relation to and (b) what is the statutory basis for (i) the production of guidance on driving and diabetes and (ii) the appointment of an honorary medical advisory panel on driving and diabetes.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The overarching legal requirements governing medical fitness to drive are contained in sections 92-96 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
The statutory basis for the standards relating to driving and diabetes can be found in Section 72 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency produces guidance for the public and medical professionals based on the legal requirements.
The appointment of an honorary medical advisory panel on driving and diabetes is not provided for in law. The panel’s role is to help maintain and improve road safety by providing the Secretary of State for Transport with expert medical advice about diabetes and its impact on driving. The panel complies with the Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Panels, which provides guidance on processes and practices for bodies providing independent scientific advice to government.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescale is for groups to apply for the Mid-Tier Access for All programme.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
We have made £20m available for Mid-Tier Access for All projects. Details of how this funding will be allocated are being finalised now and we intend to open the nomination process later this summer.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have informed the DVLA that they have insulin-treated diabetes and a group (a) 1 or (b) 2 driving licence in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold historic data on the number of people who have notified that they have insulin treated diabetes, only those whose licences were refused or revoked on that basis.
The table below shows the number of drivers who have diabetes recorded on their driving record and have had their driving licence application refused or their driving licence revoked on medical grounds for any medical condition.
Year | Revocation Group 1 | Revocation Group 2 |
2010 | 1,504 | 498 |
2011 | 2,327 | 668 |
2012 | 2,476 | 639 |
2013 | 2,801 | 1,114 |
2014 | 2,957 | 1,318 |
2015 | 2,993 | 1,499 |
2016 | 2,912 | 1,765 |
2017 | 2,895 | 1,568 |
2018 | 2,023 | 1,562 |
2019 (to date) | 326 | 269 |
Please note that there may be group 2 drivers who would have been refused or had a licence revoked for both group 1 and group 2 licences and therefore may be duplicated in the figures. In addition, as there are higher medical standards for group 2 licensing than for group 1, there will be a number of drivers who have been refused group 2 entitlement but permitted to retain group 1 entitlement.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers with diabetes have had their licence revoked in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold historic data on the number of people who have notified that they have insulin treated diabetes, only those whose licences were refused or revoked on that basis.
The table below shows the number of drivers who have diabetes recorded on their driving record and have had their driving licence application refused or their driving licence revoked on medical grounds for any medical condition.
Year | Revocation Group 1 | Revocation Group 2 |
2010 | 1,504 | 498 |
2011 | 2,327 | 668 |
2012 | 2,476 | 639 |
2013 | 2,801 | 1,114 |
2014 | 2,957 | 1,318 |
2015 | 2,993 | 1,499 |
2016 | 2,912 | 1,765 |
2017 | 2,895 | 1,568 |
2018 | 2,023 | 1,562 |
2019 (to date) | 326 | 269 |
Please note that there may be group 2 drivers who would have been refused or had a licence revoked for both group 1 and group 2 licences and therefore may be duplicated in the figures. In addition, as there are higher medical standards for group 2 licensing than for group 1, there will be a number of drivers who have been refused group 2 entitlement but permitted to retain group 1 entitlement.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the recent changes to the DVLA’s driving and diabetes guidance differs between drivers with group 1 and group 2 licences.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The law states that while the testing of interstitial fluid is permitted for driver licensing purposes for group 1 drivers with diabetes, drivers of group 2 vehicles must continue to monitor blood glucose levels. The medical standards for driving group 2 vehicles are different than those for group 1. This is because these vehicles are larger or carry passengers, and the driver will typically spend more time on the road and drive longer distances.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what processes are in place to ensure that the Medical Advisory Panel on driving and diabetes mellitus consults regularly with a broad and representative range of stakeholders.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Secretary of State’s Honorary Medical Advisory panels are made up of medical experts who are recognised in their respective fields, supported by lay members. The panels are not responsible for carrying out formal consultations. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency consults with key organisations to inform reviews of medical conditions in relation to driving. The results of these reviews are shared with the panels.
The key organisations consulted include medical experts, charities, road safety groups and industry groups. For diabetes, this includes the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists, Diabetes UK, the Independent Diabetes Trust, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, BRAKE, the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the stakeholders that his Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on driving and diabetes mellitus consults with to inform its reviews of the current guidance.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Secretary of State’s Honorary Medical Advisory panels are made up of medical experts who are recognised in their respective fields, supported by lay members. The panels are not responsible for carrying out formal consultations. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency consults with key organisations to inform reviews of medical conditions in relation to driving. The results of these reviews are shared with the panels.
The key organisations consulted include medical experts, charities, road safety groups and industry groups. For diabetes, this includes the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists, Diabetes UK, the Independent Diabetes Trust, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, BRAKE, the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the DVLA has as part of its review of guidelines on driving and diabetes to ensure that drivers with diabetes use the most accurate blood glucose meters available.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, in conjunction with the Secretary of State for Transport’s Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on driving and diabetes mellitus, has sought views from stakeholders on the proposed new guidance and is considering the responses received.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Honorary Medical Advisory Panel is considering the use of Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) as an accuracy measure for blood glucose monitoring devices as part of the review of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency guidelines on driving and diabetes.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), in conjunction with the Secretary of State for Transport’s Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes, is reviewing its guidance to provide advice for medical professionals and drivers on the use of interstitial glucose monitoring systems in the context of driving.
The DVLA is currently considering views of stakeholders, some of whom have suggested using a Mean Absolute Relative Difference accuracy measure for interstitial glucose monitoring.
Asked by: Ruth George (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much compensation was paid by each train operating company that operates a passenger charter or delay repay scheme in (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
2015/16 and 2016/17 compensation figures have already been published and can be found on the gov.uk website at: