Oral Question·Department for Transport
“What steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog in practical driving tests.”
Tabled: 13 November 2025Answered: 20 November 2025
Asked by
Iqbal Mohamed
Independent — Dewsbury and Batley
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Transport
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.