- 07/11/2024
- Posted by: Amanda Hack MP
- Category: News
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Amanda Hack reveals the extent of driving test resales.
A written question to the Roads Minister has revealed the extent of the driving test reselling problem.
Since the pandemic, a lack of available driving tests has become a perennial problem, often attributed to widespread reselling of test slots at prices more than double the original £62 fee. When booking a test on the DVSA website, applicants must enter a provisional licence number. However, some rogue operators exploit the system by using “instructors’ access” to block book multiple slots under a single licence number, only swapping to the actual applicants’ licence number once they have received a resale price way beyond their original.
Therefore, the number of driving tests where licence numbers are swapped from their original is a potential indicator of the scale of resale across the country. According to data from the Department for Transport, reselling has surged since the pandemic, rising from around 3% in January 2019 to a peak of over 30% in October 2023.
Amanda Hack said:
“As an area with limited public transport and no passenger train line, residents in North West Leicestershire are often forced to use cars to get around.
Learner drivers have raised concerns about the lack of available driving test slots and the high prices of resold tests. Data shows that potentially more than 25% of driving tests are being resold back to learners at much higher prices.
I know that the Roads Minister has been actively working to train 250 new examiners this year and recruiting another 200, so we should see more availability coming down the track. I am pleased that the DVSA has issued over 300 warnings, 750 suspensions, and closed over 700 businesses for misuse of its booking service to tackle the issue.”
The surge in driving test reselling poses a significant challenge for aspiring drivers and highlights the need for further measures to restore fairness in the booking system. The fight against driving test reselling is ongoing, and with continued vigilance and support, we can create a more equitable system for all.
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In Westminster Hall, I recently spoke about how living in a rural community can make accessing healthcare far more difficult than it should be.
One of the first casework issues I ever dealt with was from a resident in Ashby who needed an out of hours appointment on a Sunday. The only place they could be seen was in Leicester and just getting there cost around £40 in a taxi.
I also raised the pressure on our community pharmacies. They are the first port of call for so many of us, especially in areas like ours with a history of industrial work and higher rates of respiratory conditions. Around 8% of local residents are living with asthma, and many rely on regular medication and advice from their local chemist.
But depending on where you live, getting to a pharmacy isn’t always simple.
Castle Donington, which has the highest asthma levels in the constituency, has just one pharmacy serving the entire area. It does fantastic work, but the next closest option is more than five miles away.
(I am aware of the recent announcement regarding the Independent Prescribing Pathfinder service and have written to the ICB about this.)
Our rural communities deserve better access to the healthcare services and I’m proud that we are part of the rollout of neighbourhood health services, bringing more of the NHS closer to local people.
But I want to hear your views on health services across the constituency. I’ve just launched a local survey which you can complete here: www.amandahack.com/campaigns/local-nhs-survey/
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Over the past week, I’ve heard from many of you about the rise in heating oil prices across the constituency following the volatility in the Middle East.
Some residents have told me about orders being cancelled and then reissued at significantly higher prices. I know that for households that rely on heating oil, delaying an order simply isn’t an option. Poor practices and hiking up prices is completely unacceptable.
As a member of the Labour Rural Research Group, I met with the Energy Minister and the Treasury Secretary alongside colleagues last week to raise these concerns, and we have continued to provide feedback from our survey. Following those discussions, the government is now taking action.
We are not only looking at how the UK heating oil sector can be more closely regulated in the future, but we are also announcing a £53 million support package for those most in need. The funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (previously known as the Household Support Fund). As further information on the scheme becomes available, I will of course share that with you.
If you haven’t yet had the chance to complete our survey on this issue, we are still sharing information with treasury colleagues, so please complete it here before the end of today: tinyurl.com/2fd63cyy
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