Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the backlog in driving theory test availability in (a) Canterbury and (b) Kent; and what steps he is taking to clear that backlog.

Since April, to clear the backlog of driving theory tests, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has extended theory test centre opening hours, where conditions allow, creating 300,000 extra theory test appointments. From 6 September, the contract for running theory test centres is to be split into three regions and the number of theory test centres in Great Britain will increase from 180 to 202.

The forward booking dates for driving theory tests in (a) Canterbury is 8 weeks, and in (b) Kent is 6 weeks.