Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Driving Tests

Thursday 20 April 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is increasing the number of driving tests by conducting out-of-hours testing and recruiting examiners.
  • The agency is taking steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system, leading to a drop in traffic to these services.
  • The Department is considering ideas from both sides of the House to address the issue of driving test availability.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Context

The number of learner drivers waiting for a driving test has increased significantly, leading to long wait times and the emergence of a black market in driving tests.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of learner drivers waiting for a driving test. There are over 50,000 tests available as of 27 March but many areas still have significant delays.

Answer from Richard Holden

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is increasing the number of driving tests by conducting out-of-hours testing, recruiting over 300 examiners, and re-employing retired examiners. Recovery measures have created 35,000 extra test slots each month since April 2021.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Transport
Context

Third parties are using bots to snap up driving test slots and sell them at a premium, affecting vulnerable individuals like young care leavers.

Question

Learner drivers are increasingly falling victim to a flourishing black market in driving tests. Third parties are using bots on the Government's website to snap up driving test slots that are then sold for double or triple the price. With AA research showing the most vulnerable being hit the hardest, what are the Government doing to crack down on this exploitation?

Answer from Richard Holden

I had a meeting with the DVSA on this matter earlier this week, and we will continue to take steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system. There has been a significant drop in traffic to those services because of the DVSA's successful work in identifying booking apps and bots.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific actions being taken to stop third parties using bots, and no commitment on stopping bot access.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Transport
Context

Constituents in the Mid Buckinghamshire area are struggling to secure driving tests, with delays of up to six months reported.

Question

I have received correspondence from a number of constituents struggling to get driving tests in my constituency. For example, a constituent reported that the nearby Bletchley testing centre has nothing available for six months. Will my hon. Friend consider changing the point at which tests are released?

Answer from Richard Holden

I will certainly look at that. Of the 300 extra driving instructors we have recruited, 87 are in London and the south-east. We continue to take ideas from both sides of the House to see what more can be done.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions for changing test release times were not committed to.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email