Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential barriers faced by individuals in acquiring a HGV licence.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is processing straightforward HGV driving licence applications within five days and there are no delays.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is adding new capacity to its driving test booking system all the time. Tests do become available when customers move or cancel existing bookings. Candidates can also use the DVSA’s change your driving test service (www.gov.uk/change-driving-test) to check for earlier test slots. The DVSA also suggests that candidates check other nearby test centres which may have earlier dates available.

The Department for Transport is also continuing to consider changes to help with recruitment to the transport industry. A number of measures were introduced in November 2021 to streamline the requirements for HGV and bus drivers. These included changes to testing, including removing the requirement to take tests in rigid vehicles before moving onto tests for articulated vehicles and trailers.

The Government is aware that the costs of training can be a barrier both to new entrants and business and has invested up to £34 million to create skills bootcamps to train up to 11,000 more people to become HGV drivers.

The Government is also supporting new HGV drivers through apprenticeships. By working with the industry, the Large Goods Vehicle Driver apprenticeship (for articulated lorries and supported with up to £7,000 of funding) and the Urban Driver apprenticeship (for rigid lorries and supported with up to £5,000 of funding) have been developed.

The UK Government does not issue international HGV licences. Holders of an HGV licence may use that licence overseas providing the country they are driving in is signed up to the relevant international driving conventions.

Drivers may choose to carry an international driving permit (IDP) to supplement the use of their driving licence when driving in another country. IDPs can be purchased over the counter at the Post Office.