Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the number of (a) vacancies for HGV drivers, (b) HGV drivers undergoing training and (c) HGV drivers expected to retire from the industry in the next five years.

It is not possible to estimate the total number of HGV drivers currently undergoing training. This is because some haulage companies have in-house training programmes and private sector training companies also train new drivers. The Government has also invested in training for new drivers for example, £34m to train up to 11,000 HGV drivers through Skills Bootcamps and the LGV Driver and Urban Driver Apprenticeships which receive funding of up to £8,000 and £5,000 respectively. In the financial year FY21-22 there were 4,740 learner starts in HGV Skills Bootcamps and 3,247 LGV Driver and Urban Driver Apprenticeship starts.

The Office for National Statistics Annual Population Survey estimated in the year April 2022 to March 2023 34% of HGV drivers were aged 56 or older. However, it is not possible to estimate how many drivers will retire in the next 5 years as HGV drivers that continue to meet the licensing requirements, including the driver medicals, can continue to drive beyond the state pension age.