Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental and administrative implications of relying on paper-based postal order payments for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) services for which only a postal order is accepted as payment. Trade licensing applications can also be paid for by cheque. The DVLA is currently developing improvements to its trade licensing service and this includes exploring the introduction of alternative payment methods.
The DVLA offers nearly 50 main customer facing services, with the majority of these being available online with a range of payment options. Only seven transactions currently require a manual payment by either postal order or cheque.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to introduce alternative payment methods for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency trade plate applications.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) services for which only a postal order is accepted as payment. Trade licensing applications can also be paid for by cheque. The DVLA is currently developing improvements to its trade licensing service and this includes exploring the introduction of alternative payment methods.
The DVLA offers nearly 50 main customer facing services, with the majority of these being available online with a range of payment options. Only seven transactions currently require a manual payment by either postal order or cheque.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency requires postal orders as the sole means of payment for trade plate applications.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) services for which only a postal order is accepted as payment. Trade licensing applications can also be paid for by cheque. The DVLA is currently developing improvements to its trade licensing service and this includes exploring the introduction of alternative payment methods.
The DVLA offers nearly 50 main customer facing services, with the majority of these being available online with a range of payment options. Only seven transactions currently require a manual payment by either postal order or cheque.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce measures to (a) restrict practical driving test bookings to a candidate’s local area and (b) prevent fraudulent activity on third-party platforms offering driving test swaps.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
DVSA is working hard to reduce the average waiting times, using the responses gathered from its public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The consultation closed on 23 July. On 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, announced the outcome of the consultation to improve car driving test booking rules.
In the coming months, DVSA will:
DVSA encourages learner drivers to only use the official GOV.UK website to book and manage their driving test. DVSA has published advice aimed at learner drivers warning them of the risks of using third party services/apps to book a practical driving test. Further information can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/news/learner-drivers-warned-about-the-risks-of-driving-test-cancellation-finders.
On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 275 warnings, 404 suspensions, and closed 894 business accounts.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to introduce a ban on kerosene-powered private jets as part of the Government’s net zero strategy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government has no plans to ban kerosene-powered private jets. The Chancellor announced changes to the Air Passenger Duty (APD) in the last Budget, which included a 13% increase in APD rates for 2026/27 and a further 50% increase for larger private and business jets.
The government is committed to meeting our climate obligations to reach net zero by 2050 and will set out detail on plans for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with airlines on the (a) accessibility and (b) clarity of compensation claim processes; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of claims procedures on passengers.
Answered by Mike Kane
Under UK law, airlines are required to provide written information to passengers affected by flight disruptions, setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. This information must be clear, easy to understand, and available in accessible formats.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for ensuring airlines comply with their legal obligations towards passengers.
The EU conducted an assessment of the potential impact of the claims procedure on passengers as part of its proposed 2013 reform to Regulation 261, finding that some passengers were being discouraged from claiming their rights even when entitled. The UK has not carried out any further assessments on this issue since then.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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 requiring airlines to issue compensation for denied boarding automatically.
Answered by Mike Kane
An assessment of the merits of automatic compensation for denied boarding has not been made.
Provision of automatic compensation to passengers for denied boarding would present some practical challenges that would need to be fully considered through a full public consultation ahead of any potential legislative reforms.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) increase capacity and (b) ensure more passengers are able to be seated on services into London on South Western Railway.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is working closely with South Western Railway on the introduction of the Arterio fleet which will add the much needed additional capacity and seats on services into London. In the meantime, South Western Railway is managing the rest of its train fleet to ensure that capacity is prioritised where it is most needed.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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 extending the validity period of theory test pass certificates for learner drivers who are unable to book a practical driving test within the current two-year period due to delays in test availability.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time.
The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a customer’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation, and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
Ensuring learner drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the learning to drive process as new drivers are disproportionately casualties on our roads. Learners therefore need to pass another theory test if their two-year theory test certificate expires.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the practical driving test backlog on the (a) availability and (b) scheduling of theory test appointments.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Theory test availability is monitored by both the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the external service providers. Candidates wait on average no more than 28 calendar days from booking to their theory test appointment date, as per the contractual performance measures.
Capacity in the theory test centre network is managed using demand forecasting, and ongoing monitoring of tests booked into the 210 test centres in the network across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.