“If her Department will take steps to help realise the potential benefits of Northern Ireland's access to the UK and EU markets under the Northern Ireland protocol.”
Asked by
Colum Eastwood
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for International Trade
Answer from Hansard
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Simon Lightwood)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency conducted a record 1.96 million tests in 2024-25, and delivered nearly 42,000 extra tests between June and September 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Waiting times remain too long, however, which is why last week the Secretary of State announced measures to prevent tests being booked up and resold by bots, and we are bringing in support from the Ministry of Defence to bolster examiner numbers.