Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has made of the potential impact of the new online medical services portal on people with medical conditions who are digitally excluded; and what alternative support is available to those unable to use online services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services currently adhere to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and work is underway to bring all services to WCAG 2.2 level AA status to attain full compliance with the most recent accessibility requirements. These are an internationally recognised set of recommendations to ensure services are accessible to everyone, including users with impairments to their, vision, hearing, mobility and/or thinking/understanding.
As part of service development, the DVLA tests services with users who have a wide range of accessibility needs and uses a digital inclusion scale to ensure testing covers of varying skill and confidence levels. Ahead of any new service being launched, a service assessment is also conducted by independent panel members.
While digital services are increasingly available, the DVLA recognises that not all customers can or want to access services online or via a mobile device. Customers can contact the DVLA by telephone, or in writing in these circumstances and paper application facilities continue to be available.
The DVLA also offers a variety of reasonable adjustments to support customers, ranging from simple adjustments such as providing correspondence on coloured paper or in large print, to providing a Video Relay Service for British Sign Language users who want to contact the DVLA via telephone.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the DVLA plans to further digitalise the renewal process for driving licences for people with medical conditions.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) launched a new online medical services portal on 31 March. This allows the majority of customers to notify and apply online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account. In time, this will also allow customers to track their applications in a way they have not been able to previously. Details on how to sign up for an account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
The new digital online medical services portal covers around 1,600 medical conditions. Further enhancements for customers applying for a provisional licence and those renewing at the age of 70 or over will be made later this summer.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Breaching of Limits on Ticket Sales Regulations 2018 to prevent the use of automated systems to secure and resell practical driving test appointments.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continue to review and improve the driving test booking system to make sure that learner drivers can book their test easily and efficiently.
Between 28 May and 23 July 2025, DVSA ran a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. Views were sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers from being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price.
In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, which might include new legislation.
While the selling of tests for profit is not illegal, DVSA deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly, but these applications are constantly evolving and changing. DVSA continues looking for ways to ensure the safest and fairest way to book a driving test is for a legitimate candidate to use its services. DVSA has zero tolerance for those who exploit learner drivers and is committed to tackling the reselling of driving tests.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s online booking platform's bot detection and mitigation systems on access to practical driving tests for learner drivers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continue to review and improve the driving test booking system to make sure that learner drivers can book their test easily and efficiently.
Between 28 May and 23 July 2025, DVSA ran a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. Views were sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers from being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price.
In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, which might include new legislation.
While the selling of tests for profit is not illegal, DVSA deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly, but these applications are constantly evolving and changing. DVSA continues looking for ways to ensure the safest and fairest way to book a driving test is for a legitimate candidate to use its services. DVSA has zero tolerance for those who exploit learner drivers and is committed to tackling the reselling of driving tests.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce wait times for practical driving tests in Scotland.
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 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.
Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.