Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence; and whether he plans to amend the requirement for that certificate to help tackle driver shortages.

In 2016, the Government published a post-implementation review of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) 2007 regulations. The review considered the extent to which the regulations improved road safety and increased the professionalism of driving as an occupation. Road safety has improved but it is not possible to isolate the effect of the regulations from other measures.

HGV drivers continue to be required to hold a DCPC. Many employers are offering training packages to allow drivers whose DCPC has lapsed to renew it and return to driving.