Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the data his Department holds on the size of the backlog of applications to the DVLA (a) in total and (b) by Parliamentary constituency as of 21 April 2022.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for a driving licence is by using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online service. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their licence within a few days.

However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The Government understands the impact that delays in processing paper applications can have on the daily lives of individuals and the DVLA is working hard to reduce waiting times. The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has opened new customer service centres in Swansea and Birmingham to reduce backlogs and provide future resilience. These measures are having a positive impact.

On 21 April 2022, the total number of paper applications awaiting processing at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) was 832,314. This is a significant reduction from the peak of 1.6 million in September 2021. It is important to note that the DVLA normally has around 400,000 paper applications awaiting processing at any one time as the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail each day. This information is not held by Parliamentary constituency.