Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the number of times a driving test can be re-booked, in the context of recent trends in the usage of automated bots to block book driving test dates.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA’s) main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards.

As of 21 October 2024, there were 567,344 car practical driving tests booked, and 84,092 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

It is not possible to allow approved driving instructors (ADI’s) to temporarily work as driving examiners. The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) 1999 regulations require driving test examiners to meet certain criteria and pass an initial qualification and examination and prohibits a person from being an active ADI and an examiner simultaneously.

As part of measures to ensure its booking system is used correctly, DVSA has reduced the number of times a driving test appointment can be changed. Driving test candidates can change their appointment up to six times. If candidates need to make more changes after that, they will need to cancel their test and rebook it. DVSA currently has no plans to reduce this figure further as it is designed to give candidates sufficient flexibility to manage their car practical driving test appointment.

Driving examiners are Civil Servants so their salary is determined by the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance. The guidance sets out the financial parameters within which Civil Service departments can determine pay awards for their staff. DVSA cannot act independently from this guidance.