Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans DVSA has in place to deal with the backlog of driving tests due to covid-19 restrictions.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
During the current lockdown, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. Mobile emergency workers who have a valid compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate and wish to apply for a motorcycle licence would also be eligible.
Mobile emergency worker tests cannot be currently offered in Scotland due to Covid restrictions set by the Scottish Government.
The DVSA will continue to offer mobile emergency worker tests once the current lockdown restrictions have been lifted, and will keep that service under review.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has measures in place to increase practical driving tests when it is safe for testing to resume. These include offering overtime and annual leave buy back to examiners, asking all those qualified to conduct tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays).
In addition, the DVSA has started a recruitment campaign to increase the number of examiners to increase testing capacity and reduce the backlog as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service for customers and examiners.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the DVSA has plans to prioritise driving tests for critical workers in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK as covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
During the current lockdown, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. Mobile emergency workers who have a valid compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate and wish to apply for a motorcycle licence would also be eligible.
Mobile emergency worker tests cannot be currently offered in Scotland due to Covid restrictions set by the Scottish Government.
The DVSA will continue to offer mobile emergency worker tests once the current lockdown restrictions have been lifted, and will keep that service under review.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has measures in place to increase practical driving tests when it is safe for testing to resume. These include offering overtime and annual leave buy back to examiners, asking all those qualified to conduct tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays).
In addition, the DVSA has started a recruitment campaign to increase the number of examiners to increase testing capacity and reduce the backlog as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service for customers and examiners.
Asked by: Alan Campbell (Labour - Tynemouth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will reassess his decision not to extend driving theory tests for people whose test has expired during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place for road safety reasons; to ensure that a candidate’s knowledge is current. This validity period is set in legislation and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
It is important that road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point that they drive unsupervised for the first time. Those with theory test certificates expiring may have taken their test in early 2019. Since then, their lessons and practice sessions will have been significantly curtailed during recent lockdowns and it is likely that their knowledge base will have diminished. Research suggests that this would be particularly harmful for hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety.
Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the training of new drivers, who are disproportionality represented in casualty statistics. Taking all this into consideration, the decision has been made not to extend theory test certificates and learners will need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2021 to Question 159299, if his Department will provide funding to cover all or part of the re-sit fee for learners whose driving theory test certificate has expired during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
There are no current plans to provide funding or waive the charge of a theory test for those whose theory test certificates have expired, given that candidates will have already received the service for which they paid.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) pays its contractor, Pearson, per theory test delivered. If candidates were exempted from having to pay for a retake then the DVSA and in turn other fee payers would incur these costs. This would be unfair to fee payers who would not benefit from the arrangement.
In addition, applications for a re-test would need to be validated and systems amended to remove the requirement for payment in these cases. The DVSA’s focus should rightly be on developing solutions to address the backlog of practical driving tests that has arisen as a result of the pandemic.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of prioritising the allocation of driving theory test slots to (a) essential workers and b) people who had those tests cancelled due to the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Following the Prime Minister's road map announcement, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is now planning to resume its services. In England, it intends to restart theory test services on 12 April 2021. This is providing that the Government’s coronavirus data shows it is safe to move from step 1 of the road map to step 2.
Dates for Scotland and Wales remain subject to agreement with the devolved administrations.
It would be unfair on other candidates, who have also waited patiently for their theory test, if certain groups are given priority. The DVSA is increasing theory test capacity and will make available between 120,000 -135,000 additional appointments per month.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has made of the potential merits of prioritising people who require a specific type of driving licence for employment for bookings for practical driving tests when they resume as covid-19 restrictions are eased; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is now planning to resume driver training and testing in line with the Prime Minister’s road map announcement. In England, this will be no earlier than 12 April 2021, providing the data shows it is safe to move on to this next step.
Dates for Scotland and Wales remain subject to agreement with the devolved administrations.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold data on a candidate’s occupation, or reason for taking a test, when they apply for a routine theory or practical test. The DVSA will be making tests available in all licence categories when it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Covid-19 Response, Spring 2021 roadmap, published in February 2021, CP 398, when (a) bookings for driving theory tests and (b) driving theory test centres will be permitted to reopen.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is now planning to resume driver training and testing in line with the Prime Minister’s road map announcement. In England, this will be no earlier than 12 April 2021, providing the data shows it is safe to move on to this next step.
Dates for Scotland and Wales remain subject to agreement with the devolved administrations.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold data on a candidate’s occupation, or reason for taking a test, when they apply for a routine theory or practical test. The DVSA will be making tests available in all licence categories when it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will (a) extend the validity period for driving theory test passes and (b) waive the re-sit fee in the event that a driving theory test certificate has expired during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place for road safety reasons; to ensure that a candidate’s knowledge is current. This validity period is set in legislation and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
It is important that road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point that they drive unsupervised for the first time. Those with theory test certificates expiring may have taken their test in early 2019. Since then, their lessons and practice sessions will have been significantly curtailed during recent lockdowns and it is likely that their knowledge base will have diminished. Research suggests that this would be particularly harmful for hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety.
Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the training of new drivers, who are disproportionality represented in casualty statistics. Taking all this into consideration, the decision has been made not to extend theory test certificates and learners will need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires.
There are no current plans to waive the charge of a theory test for those whose theory test certificates have expired, given that they will have already received the service for which they paid.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) pays its contractor, Pearson, per theory test delivered. If candidates were exempted from having to pay for a retake then the DVSA and in turn other fee payers would incur these costs. This would be unfair to fee payers who would not benefit from the arrangement.
In addition, applications for a re-test would need to be validated and systems amended to remove the requirement for payment in these cases. The DVSA’s focus should rightly be on developing solutions to address the backlog of practical driving tests that has arisen as a result of the pandemic.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that critical workers have effective access to driving tests after the end of the national lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold data on a candidate’s occupation, or reason for taking a test, when they apply for a routine theory or practical test.
During the current lockdown, the DVSA is offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. Mobile emergency workers who have a valid compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate and wish to apply for a motorcycle licence would also be eligible.
The DVSA has not cancelled any mobile emergency worker tests.
No assessment has been made because the national restrictions have been implemented to protect the NHS and save lives.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the national lockdown in England, all routine theory and practical tests have been suspended. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. Mobile emergency workers who have a valid compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate and wish to apply for a motorcycle licence would also be eligible.
Mobile emergency worker tests cannot be currently offered in Scotland due to Covid restrictions.
The DVSA will continue to offer mobile emergency worker tests once the current lockdown restrictions have been lifted, and will keep that service under review.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the effect on critical workers of the ban on driving tests during the third national lockdown.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold data on a candidate’s occupation, or reason for taking a test, when they apply for a routine theory or practical test.
During the current lockdown, the DVSA is offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. Mobile emergency workers who have a valid compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate and wish to apply for a motorcycle licence would also be eligible.
The DVSA has not cancelled any mobile emergency worker tests.
No assessment has been made because the national restrictions have been implemented to protect the NHS and save lives.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the national lockdown in England, all routine theory and practical tests have been suspended. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. Mobile emergency workers who have a valid compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate and wish to apply for a motorcycle licence would also be eligible.
Mobile emergency worker tests cannot be currently offered in Scotland due to Covid restrictions.
The DVSA will continue to offer mobile emergency worker tests once the current lockdown restrictions have been lifted, and will keep that service under review.