Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
The DVLA’s efforts to encourage customers who can use online services to do so are...
Recommendation
The DVLA’s efforts to encourage customers who can use online services to do so are not sufficient. Some customers need the option of applying for a driving licence using a paper form, but the DVLA assesses that around 60% of customers who apply on paper could have applied online. In the periods during the pandemic when customers who applied on paper experienced substantial delays, almost all customers without notifiable medical conditions who applied online had their applications processed within three working days. The DVLA rightly wants to avoid disenfranchising people unable to use online services, and its aim is to “create digital services so good people choose to use them” while keeping a paper option available. However, we believe there is considerable scope for improving take-up of DVLA’s online services and we do not agree with the Department’s approach of not setting the DVLA any targets for digitisation and digital take-up of driving licence services. Recommendations: a) The Department and the DVLA should consider what more they can do to increase take-up of the DVLA’s online services: • They should understand better why some customers have chosen not to engage with online services. • They should incentivise customers to use digital services and discourage people who can apply online from sending paper applications. b) The Department should, in its Treasury Minute response to this report, set out its plans to hold the DVLA to account for increased take-up of online services.
Government Response Summary
The department will develop an ambitious set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through which the department can hold them to account for the delivery of their plans and business-as-usual performance and will hold the DVLA to account for take-up of online services through this governance process.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. develop an ambitious set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through which the department can hold them to account for the delivery of their plans and business-as-usual performance. Last year, DVLA’s business plan included a KPI to exceed their total digital and automatic interactions, with a (met) target of 90%, as well as metrics on the fast turnaround on online applications and dates for delivering new online services. Alongside operational measures sit cross government themes, which include digital services. The department has quarterly reviews with the DVLA to monitor the agency’s performance against their business plan and key metrics. The department will hold the DVLA to account for take-up of online services through this governance process. In addition, a review of the department’s governance of the DVLA’s digital and online transition programme is underway, with any resulting new arrangements to be agreed by July.