Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of HGV vehicles awaiting their annual test since those tests were suspended due to the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps is taking to reduce that backlog.

Approximately 146,000 heavy goods vehicles (HGV) have been exempt from testing since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working to put plans in place to manage test demand and resume HGV testing (heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles (buses and coaches)) as soon as it is practical to allow safe vehicle testing. These plans are being developed jointly with the trade.