PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Driving Test Waiting Times - 12 February 2026 (Commons/Commons Chamber)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s top priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times while upholding road safety standards. In November 2025, the Government announced that we will change the booking system so that only learner drivers will be able to book and manage tests, with learner drivers limited to two changes to their test. We are also introducing geographical restrictions. In addition, we are utilising military driving examiners. As of December 2025, there were 1,542 full-time equivalent driving examiners in post—the highest number since 2021.

Like my hon. Friend, I understand the importance of learners being able to access driving tests, particularly when a driving licence is essential for accessing jobs and training. The upcoming booking system changes, continued recruitment and extra tests through overtime schemes will benefit learners across the whole of Great Britain, including those in Scotland.

Is not the fundamental problem that the DVSA is a state-controlled monolith without any competition? Would it not be a good idea to privatise the DVSA and enable young people to access driving tests a lot more quickly?

This Government are working hard where the previous Government failed. We are working closely with the DVSA to ensure that it is able to provide the tests that are needed. Things are starting to turn around—we had record numbers of tests in December —but I acknowledge that there is much to do. We are getting on and doing it.

I appreciate the measures that the Minister has outlined, because this is a really important issue. Many of my constituents have written to me about unacceptable waiting times and mark-ups on driving test slots. One constituent depends on their licence to complete their qualifications and get a job, but cannot secure a test without paying 10 times the standard rate. What is the Minister doing to ensure that those who are continuing to charge rip-off rates for driving tests are being held accountable?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right; it is completely unacceptable that some unscrupulous people are exploiting learner drivers. That is precisely why we are changing the booking system to block those people from using it and taking action against driving instructors who misuse their access to the system.

I thank the Minister for the measures she has outlined. In Edinburgh West this is a significant problem, and it seems to be a problem across the city. Young people, some of them graduates, cannot access driving tests, and then they cannot get jobs because they do not have a driving licence. They are facing long wait times and then sit repeated tests, which has an economic impact on them. Will the Department consider how it can support people who are facing economic impacts because of long wait times?

We do appreciate the impact that being unable to access a practical driving test has on young people. That is precisely why we are taking the further measures that I have described, and we are starting to see signs of improvement. Between June and December last year, the DVSA conducted 1,158,458 car practical driving tests. That is an increase of over 102,000 compared to the same period in 2024. I appreciate that people are impatient for improvement. We are working hard, and we are determined to deliver that improvement.

I call the shadow Minister.

When these Ministers came to power, they promised that they would act to reduce the waiting time for a driving test, and not just by a little bit; they said they would get it down to seven weeks. A year later, the waiting time is now 21.9 weeks. In fact, it has gone up by three weeks since they came into power. That is not really a sign of competence, is it?

I have to say, the shadow Minister has some brass neck in criticising our Government on this issue. The National Audit Office, in its December report into driving test waiting times, was very clear:

“DFT had limited involvement in helping DVSA tackle driving test waiting times up to mid-2024. Prior to 2024, DFT largely left DVSA to try and resolve the issue”.

The hon. Gentleman does not have a leg to stand on.