Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Acknowledged
The DVLA told us that at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic its first priority...
Conclusion
The DVLA told us that at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic its first priority had been to maintain its online services because most licence applications are initiated online.26 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. However, there will always be some customers who need the option of applying for a driving licence using a paper form instead of an online service.27 The DVLA wrote to us after the evidence session and told us of the Lloyds Bank Essential Digital Skills report, which indicates that a substantial proportion of adults do not have the skills to use online services. It told us its goal is to “create digital services so good people choose to use them” but that it should avoid disenfranchising people unable or unwilling to use online services.28
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of providing non-digital options, highlighting the DVLA's existing digital services and strategy to encourage their use, while noting the challenges of paper applications and the need to avoid disenfranchising those unable or unwilling to use online services.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
6.2 The DVLA has been an overwhelmingly digital organisation for many years, with more than 83% of transactions completed online. Motorists have been able to pay their vehicle excise duty online since 2004 and apply for a driving licence digitally since 2006. 6.3 The DVLA’s online services worked very well throughout the pandemic, with 98% of driving licences issued within three days when the application was made online. The challenge was with paper driving licence applications and drivers’ medical applications, which required staff to physically be on site (a significant challenge during the height of the pandemic, with restrictions sometimes more stringent in Wales) and turnaround of information from medical professionals who had understandably been instructed to deprioritise DVLA work. 6.4 The DVLA already has a strategy in place to further develop its digital driver licensing services for driver licensing and has invested in new online services and communications to encourage their use. This includes a strategic customer and technology programme which aims to transform how customers transact with the DVLA. This development and promotion of online services prior to and throughout the pandemic has been hugely beneficial as the backlog position would have been much worse without these efforts. Indeed, the delivery of some new digital services was accelerated over the COVID-19 pandemic as part of efforts to reduce backlogs.