Written questions by Evans.

What conversations she is having with the DVSA about the pressures faced by the DVSA booking system to manage new and repeated attempts to pass the ADI Part 3 test.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she will conduct an assessment of the current pressures facing the DVSA to manage ADI tests to ensure that a candidate can complete the process before the expiry of their theory test certificate.

Awaiting answer.

What conversations she is having with the DVSA to support the recruitment of additional examiners in the Advanced Driving Instructor team.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on reviewing the penalties associated with uninsured driving.

The Government wants to ensure that the motoring offences framework is suitable. That is why, as part of our new Road Safety Strategy we are consulting on changes to the motoring offences, including consideration of whether the minimum penalties for the offence of driving uninsured should be increased.

With reference to the report by the Motor Insurance Taskforce Final Report, published on 10 December 2025, what steps she is planning to take to monitor the outcomes from the work by the Financial Conduct Authority in encouraging social media companies to prevent fraudulent content from appearing on their platforms.

The cross-government taskforce’s final report highlights the wider range of areas in which government is taking action; including taking steps to address vehicle theft and the cost of repairs. The government will continue to deliver against the actions set out in this report. The FCA will continue to call for more action to be taken by social media companies to prevent fraudulent content from appearing on their platforms. Where the FCA identifies unlawful content, including ghost broking, ad-spoofing and material posted by finfluencers, it will seek to get the content removed and work with other partner agencies, including law enforcement, working to combat these activities.The taskforce encourages the motor insurance industry to work closely with vehicle manufacturers to review the vehicle risk rating system.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that the motor insurance industry is working closely with vehicle manufacturers to review the vehicle risk rating system.

The cross-government taskforce’s final report highlights the wider range of areas in which government is taking action; including taking steps to address vehicle theft and the cost of repairs. The government will continue to deliver against the actions set out in this report. The FCA will continue to call for more action to be taken by social media companies to prevent fraudulent content from appearing on their platforms. Where the FCA identifies unlawful content, including ghost broking, ad-spoofing and material posted by finfluencers, it will seek to get the content removed and work with other partner agencies, including law enforcement, working to combat these activities.The taskforce encourages the motor insurance industry to work closely with vehicle manufacturers to review the vehicle risk rating system.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 116254 on Driving Tests, whether he will assess the potential impact of the driving examiner group recruitment campaign in (a) Leicestershire and (b) the East Midlands.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not employ approved driving instructors. The table below shows how many full-time equivalent driving examiners who conduct tests at test centres in Hinckley and Bosworth and Leicestershire in January 2026 compared to April 2025. April 2025January 2026LocationFull time equivalent DEsFull time equivalent DEsLeicester Cannock St10.8613.86Leicester Wigston12.3912.50Loughborough3.803.54Hinkley2.623 The DVSA will continue to assess the recruitment needs of all test centres, including those in Leicestershire and the East Midlands and will continue to launch further recruitment campaigns to address demand.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 116254 on Driving Tests, how many full-time equivalent driving instructors were practising in (a) Hinckley and Bosworth constituency and (b) Leicestershire in January 2026 compared to April 2025.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not employ approved driving instructors. The table below shows how many full-time equivalent driving examiners who conduct tests at test centres in Hinckley and Bosworth and Leicestershire in January 2026 compared to April 2025. April 2025January 2026LocationFull time equivalent DEsFull time equivalent DEsLeicester Cannock St10.8613.86Leicester Wigston12.3912.50Loughborough3.803.54Hinkley2.623 The DVSA will continue to assess the recruitment needs of all test centres, including those in Leicestershire and the East Midlands and will continue to launch further recruitment campaigns to address demand.

What her planned timetable is for the consultation on the introduction of new battery health measures for electric vehicles.

On 13 April 2026, the Department launched a public consultation on updating the minimum emission standards for new road vehicles to Euro 7. As part of these proposals, manufacturers would be required to fit electric vehicles with accurate, accessible and comparable battery health monitors. The consultation will remain open until 25 May 2026. The Government is seeking views on these proposals through that consultation. No final decisions have been taken, and the timetable for introducing any new battery health measures will be determined following careful consideration of the responses received.

What recent discussions she has had with (a) county councils, (b) Midlands Connect and (c) regional mayors about reinstating a direct railway service between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry.

My Department is in regular contact with county councils, Midlands Connect and regional mayors on a range of rail issues, including regional connectivity. The Department will consider the case for specific schemes in future funding rounds, subject to value for money, affordability and alignment with strategic objectives.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of reinstating a direct railway service between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry for (a) Leicestershire, (b) Warwickshire and (c) regional connectivity.

My Department is in regular contact with county councils, Midlands Connect and regional mayors on a range of rail issues, including regional connectivity. The Department will consider the case for specific schemes in future funding rounds, subject to value for money, affordability and alignment with strategic objectives.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 113322 on Driving Disqualification, if she can list the reasons for exceptional hardship that were cited by the drivers with 12 or more penalty points who have retained current entitlement to drive.

The Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) do not hold information on the reasons put forward in exceptional hardship applications. Decisions on whether exceptional hardship has been established, and the grounds advanced in support of such applications, are matters for the courts. DVLA’s role is to update and maintain the driver record using information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, and it does not receive or hold the underlying reasons cited to the court.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 113322 on Driving Disqualification, if she will hold discussions with local police forces on drivers who can retain their entitlement to drive after accruing 12 or more penalty points.

Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and decide not to disqualify them. Courts may allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These decisions are for the courts, not the Department for Transport or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which update and maintain the driver record using information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. The Department has no plans to hold discussions with local police forces about court decisions on whether an individual is disqualified under the ‘totting up’ provisions.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of shortages of driver examiners on learner drivers’ access to driving test slots.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system. Examiner capacity is rising. Since April 2025, and as of January 2026, DVSA has seen an increase in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) DEs, from 1,413 to 1,546; an increase of 130 FTE DEs.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the TRL report prepared for her Department entitled Glare from road vehicle lighting on UK roads, published in October 2025.

The initial and ground-breaking TRL research demonstrates that glare is a complicated issue with several contributing factors. Any steps we take must avoid unintentionally reducing visibility for drivers or interfering with safety-critical cameras and sensors. As part of the recently published Road Safety Strategy, we are planning further targeted vehicle-based research to help inform future international lighting regulations and consider what more can be done domestically.

If she will make an assessment of (a) the ability for police forces to issue fixed penalty notices for motorists caught for excessively driving in the middle lanes of motorways and (b) trends in excessive middle lane motorway driving in (i) England and (ii) the Midlands.

(a) The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced. The Police are operationally independent and they will investigate each case according to its individual merits. (b) - The Department does not hold this data.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 76397 on Driving: Disqualification, how many drivers with more than 12 or more penalty points had not been disqualified by a court in 2025.

Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and decide not to disqualify them. Courts may allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These decisions are for the courts, not the Department for Transport or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which update and maintain the driver record using information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. On 13 February 2026, there were 10,822 drivers with 12 or more penalty points who retain current entitlement to drive and have not been disqualified by a court. Of these, 7,153 were awarded some or all of their points during 2025.

What steps she is taking to conduct research into increased headlight glare from different makes and models of vehicles.

The Department commissioned ground-breaking independent research into headlamp glare in 2024, which was published in November 2025. This provided an important first step and a second phase of research is being developed to identify the vehicle design factors that may be responsible. Officials are currently engaging with relevant stakeholders to inform the programme of work, and we expect to procure and commission this next phase in the spring.

What estimate she has made about levels of [i] cases and [ii] prosecutions of individuals attempting to sell illegal retrofit headlamp bulbs in the UK.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carries out proactive monitoring of online marketplaces to identify products with potentially misleading claims such as road legal or MOT compliant. Where appropriate, DVSA targets test purchasing and carries out assessments to confirm compliance with applicable standards and engages with sellers to correct inaccurate advertising and remove non-compliant products from sale. In the last year, DVSA has investigated 113 cases. DVSA has no estimate on prosecutions as it is dependent on the effectiveness of other interventions.

Pursuant to WPQ 103428 answered on 19 January 2026 on Speed Limit: Fines, what National Highways' planned timescale is for the implementation of the solution to the speed camera anomaly.

As set out in response to WPQ 103428 on 19 January, a Home Office approved solution to this issue has been agreed, and National Highways and the police are continuing to work together to implement this as a priority. In the meantime, National Highways has put in place measures including increased Traffic Patrol Officers, alongside the existing tactics that the police use to enforce speed limits on the Strategic Road Network including mobile camera deployments, roads policing patrols and average speed sites.