Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Acknowledged
Despite the DVLA clearing the backlog in most driving licence applications by mid- 2022, there...
Conclusion
Despite the DVLA clearing the backlog in most driving licence applications by mid- 2022, there remains a backlog in applications that involve the DVLA making a medical decision. Processing times for applications that involve such decisions are still far longer than for other driving licence applications, with many medical decisions taking a year or more. For example, the NAO found that in September 2022, 33,000 applications were more than 200 working days old. Of the cases closed in September 2022, around 2,000 had been waiting for a decision for over 350 working days. At the time we took evidence in November 2022, the DVLA expected to clear this backlog by January 2023.41
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation but highlights that the number of cases where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued have returned to normal levels.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Recommendation implemented 5.2 The number of cases where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued have returned to normal levels. The DVLA made 240,000 medical licensing decisions within 20 working days in 2022-23, with more than 84,000 of those being made within one day of receipt. 5.3 The cases which take longest continue to be those where the DVLA is awaiting information from third parties, including the NHS. As of 12 April 2023, the DVLA was awaiting further information from the driver or NHS doctors/professionals in 57% of cases. The DVLA can take no further action on these cases until the information is received.