Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people who are waiting for driving licences from the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency receive those licences in a timely manner in the event of planned strike action by staff at that agency.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for or renew a driving licence is online, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services are working as normal.

Paper driving licence applications must be dealt with in person and are taking longer to process as the DVLA has a reduced number of staff on-site to comply with social distancing requirements and ensure staff safety. Drivers with a medical condition may experience delays because the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from medical professionals before a licence can be issued to ensure drivers can meet the required medical standards.

Drivers who have submitted an application to renew their driving licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, provided they meet certain criteria.

Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla