Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for the issuing of medical driving licences.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

Some medical cases take longer because the DVLA often needs information from third parties, such as doctors or other healthcare professionals, before it can make a licensing decision. The DVLA has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of medical licence applications, increasing waiting times for some customers. To improve its services, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system, and launched a new medical services portal so the majority of customers can now apply online through the DVLA driver and vehicle account.

These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.