Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the efficiency of the process of applying for and receiving a Blue Badge.

The Department for Transport sets the legislation that governs the Blue Badge scheme and provides guidance for local authorities who are solely responsible for administering the scheme.

80% of citizens apply for a badge using the digital service operated by the Department for Transport. The Department works closely with the supplier of the service to identify ways to improve the application and re-application process for all users as part of its National Disability Strategy commitments. This includes acting on feedback from local authority administrators and citizen users of the scheme.

Blue Badges are now electronically printed by a single manufacturer and as soon as a local authority requests a badge through the system, it is dispatched within 5 working days.