To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) how many learner drivers are registered with the Driver and Vehicle Agency; and (ii) how will she ensure those learners have access to a driving test within two years of receiving their learner licence.

I can confirm that as of 22 September 2021, Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) management information indicates that approximately 27,000 people held a valid theory test pass certificate and of this number, 12,600 had booked a driving test. A significant number of the remaining learners will have only recently passed the theory test and therefore would not yet be ready for test. In addition, as would normally be the case, not all learners who complete the theory test will apply to take a practical driving test.

The DVA continues to work hard to increase its capacity to help meet the high demand for driving tests for all customers, including those who are required to take a further driving test. In the first five full months since driving tests resumed on 23 April, the DVA has conducted 29,687 driving tests, which is 45% higher than the five-year average for that period.

In addition to the recruitment of additional examiners, the DVA has taken a range of measures to maximise the availability of driving test slots, including the provision of new temporary test centres, if needed in the local area and there is sufficient driving examiner capacity. The new temporary test centres at Cookstown and Omagh have now opened for appointments.

The DVA will continue to offer driving tests on a Saturday and at certain centres on Sundays where it is suitable to do so without compromising the integrity of the test. Overtime will also be used to rota off-shift dual role driving examiners to provide further capacity. The DVA is now releasing Category B (private car) driving test appointments five months in advance with all test centres set to release driving test appointments on the first working day of each month. Additional test slots will also be released as resources continue to become available.

To help mitigate the impact on customers due to the cessation of practical driving tests, as a result of Covid restrictions, I brought forward legislation to extend the validity period of theory test pass certificates. Theory test certificates that were due to expire between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2020 were extended by 12 months. In addition, theory test pass certificates which were due to expire between 1 November 2020 and 30 June 2021, and which had not already benefited from an extension, were extended by 8 months.

Rather than apply further extensions, I agreed that the DVA would operate a prioritised booking system for customers that focused on those that have been waiting longest. Phase 1 customers, whose theory test pass certificates will expire by 31 October 2021, opened on 26 April 2021. The booking system for Phase 2 customers, whose theory test pass certificates will expire between 1 November 2021 and 31 March 2022, opened on 4 May 2021. The DVA contacted Phase 1 and Phase 2 customers directly before the booking system reopened to advise them of their priority access.

The booking service opened for all customers on 10 May 2021, providing everyone with a valid theory test pass certificate with equal opportunity to book a driving test, regardless of their past test history or priorities.

You will appreciate it is important to ensure that new drivers have current relevant road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills at the critical point they drive unsupervised for the first time. Hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety, is a vital part of the preparation of new drivers, who are disproportionately represented in casualty statistics. For these reasons I have no plans to extend further the validity period of theory test pass certificates.

Due to the constantly changing position, the advice to customers is to keep checking the booking system for availability as additional appointment slots are added when resources become available. If slots are not initially available at a customer’s preferred test centre, they may wish to consider booking a test at another centre.

I remain committed to minimising disruption and ensuring our plans for the restoration of services is in hand. However, all driving test services across these islands are experiencing high demand with longer than usual waiting times and I would ask customers for their continued patience.