Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy current EU visa arrangement for professional haulage drivers and those in the creative sector.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
UK haulage drivers are able to operate in the EU without the need for a visa, providing they do not spend more than 90 days in the EU within any 180-day period.
The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90 in 180-day Schengen immigration limit (‘90/180’) on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses (including those working in the creative sector) that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the findings will be published in due course.
Members of the creative sector are bound by the 90/180 limit for short stays but must apply for a work-permit or performance visa or other national visa to work. The Government recognises that this can create real challenges for them as their work often involves moving between multiple countries over short periods.
In the UK-EU Summit of 19 May 2025, the European Commission and the United Kingdom recognised the value of travel and cultural and artistic exchanges, including the activities of touring artists. They committed to continuing their efforts to support travel and cultural exchange. Building on the Summit, the Government is exploring with the EU Commission and EU Member States how best to improve arrangements for touring across the European continent.
The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the adequacy of visa arrangements for the creative sector.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2025 to question 82343, what steps her Department is taking to help customers in receipt of PIP to transact with the DVLA.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) remains committed to working with the Department for Work and Pensions to review and improve the process for customers who receive the standard rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which entitles them to a 50 per cent reduction in the rate of vehicle excise duty payable. Customers who receive the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP and whose vehicles are licensed in the disabled taxation class can already renew their exemption online.
The DVLA will develop and introduce a digital service for customers in receipt of the standard rate of PIP. This work will not start until after the delivery of electric Vehicle Excise Duty changes in 2028.
In the interim the DVLA is developing a temporary solution for customers in receipt of the standard rate of PIP that will allow them to submit their application through digital means. The technical discovery on this work is expected to start shortly.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 93760 on Driving Tests: Scotland, what progress she has made on the recruitment of driving examiners for driving test centres in (a) Arbroath and (b) Dundee.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
For Arbroath and Dundee driving test centres (DTC), whilst one candidate did not successfully complete their training earlier this year, DVSA successfully recruited an additional DE for Dundee DTC during the summer.
DVSA is in the process of a new recruitment campaign for 5 DE positions at Dundee in the coming weeks, with the aim for successful candidates to be in place by early 2026.
Additionally, to further support test availability in Dundee and Arbroath, DVSA has transferred an examiner to Dundee DTC from December 2025. DVSA is also in the process of a reinstatement of an examiner in Dundee to be in place in early 2026.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the response received to written question 44482 answered on 23 April 2025, what progress she has made on recruiting Driving Examiners at i) Arbroath Test Centre and ii) Dundee Test Centre.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DVSA has agreed with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that 36 defence driving examiners (DDE) will carry out driving tests. The DDEs will be based at the driving test centre (DTC) with the highest demand near either their MOD base location or where they live. These locations are in England.
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
Alongside military support, DVSA is introducing new rules to tackle unfair booking practices that have allowed bots and resellers to profit at learners’ expense.
Further details on the steps announced 12 November, can be found on GOV.UK: Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog - GOV.UK
DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
For Arbroath and Dundee DTCs, whilst one candidate did not successfully complete their training earlier this year, DVSA successfully recruited an additional DE for Dundee DTC during the summer.
DVSA is launching a new recruitment campaign for DE positions at Dundee in the coming weeks, with the aim for successful candidates to be in place by early 2026.
Additionally, to further support test availability in Dundee & Arbroath, DVSA are transferring an examiner to Dundee DTC. DVSA anticipate that their transfer will be finalised by early 2026 as well.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to deploy defence driving examiners in Scotland to help reduce the backlog of learners waiting for a driving test.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DVSA has agreed with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that 36 defence driving examiners (DDE) will carry out driving tests. The DDEs will be based at the driving test centre (DTC) with the highest demand near either their MOD base location or where they live. These locations are in England.
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
Alongside military support, DVSA is introducing new rules to tackle unfair booking practices that have allowed bots and resellers to profit at learners’ expense.
Further details on the steps announced 12 November, can be found on GOV.UK: Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog - GOV.UK
DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
For Arbroath and Dundee DTCs, whilst one candidate did not successfully complete their training earlier this year, DVSA successfully recruited an additional DE for Dundee DTC during the summer.
DVSA is launching a new recruitment campaign for DE positions at Dundee in the coming weeks, with the aim for successful candidates to be in place by early 2026.
Additionally, to further support test availability in Dundee & Arbroath, DVSA are transferring an examiner to Dundee DTC. DVSA anticipate that their transfer will be finalised by early 2026 as well.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help prevent companies adding premiums to third party booking of driving tests.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DVSA has agreed with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that 36 defence driving examiners (DDE) will carry out driving tests. The DDEs will be based at the driving test centre (DTC) with the highest demand near either their MOD base location or where they live. These locations are in England.
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
Alongside military support, DVSA is introducing new rules to tackle unfair booking practices that have allowed bots and resellers to profit at learners’ expense.
Further details on the steps announced 12 November, can be found on GOV.UK: Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog - GOV.UK
DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.
For Arbroath and Dundee DTCs, whilst one candidate did not successfully complete their training earlier this year, DVSA successfully recruited an additional DE for Dundee DTC during the summer.
DVSA is launching a new recruitment campaign for DE positions at Dundee in the coming weeks, with the aim for successful candidates to be in place by early 2026.
Additionally, to further support test availability in Dundee & Arbroath, DVSA are transferring an examiner to Dundee DTC. DVSA anticipate that their transfer will be finalised by early 2026 as well.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
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 allowing vehicle tax exemption applications to be made online.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Customers who receive the enhanced rate mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and whose vehicles are already licensed in the disabled taxation class can renew their vehicle excise duty (VED) exemption online.
Those customers who receive the standard rate mobility component of PIP, which entitles them to a 50% reduction in the rate of VED payable, or those who receive the enhanced rate mobility component but are applying to license their vehicle in the disabled tax class for the first time must do so at the Post Office or by sending their application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Facilitating these applications to be made online requires the electronic exchange of data held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with the DVLA. Officials are considering how to improve the ability for customers in receipt of PIP to transact with the DVLA.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
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 practical driving tests at (a) Arbroath Test Centre and (b) Dundee Test Centre.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 18 December 2024, DVSA set out further plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners (DEs). Full details of these steps can be found on GOV.UK.
DVSA continues to recruit DEs at Arbroath and Dundee driving test centres (DTC) and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns. As part of this, DVSA has two potential new DEs, one is booked on a training course and one is undergoing pre-employment checks. Additionally, one DE successfully passed training and is now conducting driving tests at Dundee and Arbroath.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the (a) cost to the public purse of and (b) money spent on the infrastructure required to prepare for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Lord Grayling
My Department spent a total of £6.6m between 2016/17 and 2017/18 preparing for all EU Exit scenarios. In this financial year we are forecasting to spend up to £75.8m for all scenarios.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on his Department spending more UK-wide expenditure outwith the Barnett formula in Scotland over the last twelve months.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Secretary of State for Transport meets with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a regular basis to discuss a range of matters of mutual interest.