During a Department for Transport debate in the House of Commons last week, David Warburton MP for Somerton and Frome challenged the Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps MP over the poor performance of the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) leaving more than 50,000 motorists nationwide facing long delays securing licences and unable to contact the government agency for support.

David reported that huge delays at the DVLA have resulted in a large number of his constituents forced to wait unacceptably long periods of time for anything related to their driving licence, even the most basic renewal or issuing of a provisional licence.

Constituents and MP's staff alike have been unable to get through to DVLA Customer Service lines to discuss these delays, resulting not only in frustration for those affected but creating significant extra workload for MPs and their staff, diminishing the time available to dedicate to resolving other urgent matters affecting constituents.

David asked the Secretary of State what steps his Department is taking to help resolve delays at the DVLA. The Minister responded, "The DVLA has introduced more online services, recruited extra staff, is using overtime and has secured extra office space."

David continued, "I appreciate the efforts being made by my right hon. Friend, and I understand the various union issues involved, but it is clear from numerous constituents who have got in touch having been unable to get through to the DLVA—this also applies to the MPs' hotline—that the delays are having an impact on urgent and severe cases relating to other issues. I am sure that Members across the House are experiencing the same thing. What is the timeline for ensuring that theDVLA provides the service it is tasked to do, which we very much need it to do?"

Mr Shapps concluded, "My hon. Friend is absolutely right that the dual problems of the impact of the pandemic and the strike action through the year, which I am pleased to say is now resolved, led to a backlog, particularly of occupational licences—that was at 55,000. I am pleased to report to the House that that has now been entirely cleared and those are being processed in five working days. The rest of the work is now being processed much more quickly as well, and we expect the service to return to normal next year."