Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what provisions he is putting in place for key workers not able to secure an annual MOT test for their vehicle before 30 March 2020.

Drivers, including key workers, whose vehicles were due an MOT up to and including 29 March 2020 will need to get their vehicle tested if they need to use it.

MOT centres and garages are allowed to stay open to carry out MOTs, and retests, of vehicles that had an MOT due before 30 March 2020. Garages can also stay open to carry out essential repairs or services.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has provided advice to MOT garages on what they can do to limit the spread of the coronavirus by:

• following social distancing advice and keeping at least 2 metres between customers and members of staff at all times;

• reminding employees and customers to wash their hands for 20 seconds more frequently than normal;

• frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly;

• using seat covers and new disposable gloves for every test;

• avoiding handling cash and instead use mobile or contactless card payments where possible (the contactless payment limit in the UK increased from £30 to £45 on 1 April 2020); and

• the MOT centre not issuing a paper copy of the MOT certificate (a copy of the certificate can be downloaded after the test).

A vehicle cannot be driven on the road if the MOT has run out. The only exceptions to this are driving to a pre-arranged MOT test, and driving to or from somewhere for repairs to be carried out.

MOT due dates for cars, motorcycles and light vans will be extended by six months if the MOT test was due on or after 30 March 2020, but it is essential that vehicles are kept in a roadworthy condition and safe to drive.

The introduction of MOT exemptions for cars, motorcycles and light vans required new legislation. It was not possible for this legislation to come into effect before 30 March, or for it to be applied retrospectively.

The Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to make sure people are not unfairly penalised for not being able to get an MOT whilst they are unable to do so.