Written questions by Coombes.

How many and what proportion of vehicle registered keepers have provided a PO Box as an address.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not allow individual vehicle keepers to use a PO Box address to register their vehicles. Fleet companies are able to use a PO box address but this must always be accompanied by the full and verifiable postal address. This supports vehicle accuracy and the traceability of registered keepers. The DVLA is unable to identify the number of vehicle records with a PO box number as part of the address as the data is filtered by post code. The DVLA has not issued any fines to people who failed to update their vehicle registration certificate or driving licence in the last five years.

How many fines the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued to people who have failed to update their address on their driving license in each of the last five years.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not allow individual vehicle keepers to use a PO Box address to register their vehicles. Fleet companies are able to use a PO box address but this must always be accompanied by the full and verifiable postal address. This supports vehicle accuracy and the traceability of registered keepers. The DVLA is unable to identify the number of vehicle records with a PO box number as part of the address as the data is filtered by post code. The DVLA has not issued any fines to people who failed to update their vehicle registration certificate or driving licence in the last five years.

If she will publish a breakdown of the number of registered number plate suppliers registered to each of the most commonly used PO boxes.

Of the 34,455 registered number plate suppliers, seven (0.02%) have a PO box address. All seven of these PO box addresses are different.

How many and what proportion of registered number plate suppliers have addresses registered to PO boxes.

Of the 34,455 registered number plate suppliers, seven (0.02%) have a PO box address. All seven of these PO box addresses are different.

What targets her Department sets for DVLA enforcement checks of the register of number plate suppliers.

While there are no specific targets set, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aim to audit each registered number plate supplier at least once every three years.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet legal requirements. Over the past 12 months, these prosecutions have led to five businesses being removed from the register. Two of these were removed by court order and three deregistered voluntarily before legal proceedings commenced. These five businesses have not returned to the register.

How many suppliers struck off the register of number plate suppliers due to (a) malpractice and (b) selling number plates illegally have rejoined the register.

While there are no specific targets set, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aim to audit each registered number plate supplier at least once every three years.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet legal requirements. Over the past 12 months, these prosecutions have led to five businesses being removed from the register. Two of these were removed by court order and three deregistered voluntarily before legal proceedings commenced. These five businesses have not returned to the register.

What previous criminal offences checks the DVLA carries out on people on the register of number plate suppliers.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

How many people previously convicted of fraud offences are on the register of number plate suppliers.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

How many suppliers on the register of number plate suppliers have been found to be failing to carry out legal checks before selling a number plate.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

How many people with criminal convictions are on the register of number plate suppliers.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

How many number plate suppliers have been found to be selling number plates without asking for vehicle ownership details.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

What steps she is taking to ensure that data being transmitted by UK automated vehicles to manufacturers is not stored offshore.

Effective and secure storage of data produced by self-driving vehicles is vital for their deployment. Ahead of full implementation of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 in the second half of 2027, the Department for Transport will be seeking further information on data storage as part of upcoming consultations on the regulatory framework.

What recent discussions she has had with manufacturers on helping to ensure that (a) disabled people and (b) people with accessibility needs are served adequately by automated vehicles.

Ministers and officials regularly engage with the self-driving vehicle industry to understand opportunities and emerging best practice in respect of accessibility. For example, Waymo, a leading autonomous ride-hailing company and a member of the Department’s Automated Vehicles Industry Working Group, works with disability advocates through the Waymo Accessibility Network to involve disabled people in their work to improve access to their services. A range of individuals and companies, including vehicle manufacturers, submitted responses to the Automated Passenger Services (APS) Statutory Instrument Consultation that closed at the end of September. The consultation sought views on the types of information that permit holders should publish on how any new service is meeting the needs of older and disabled people. These responses are being analysed, and we intend to issue a government response in 2026.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current legislation in ensuring that there is sufficient (a) liability and (b) responsibility in the case of a collision caused by an automated vehicle.

The framework in place today, established by the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018, provides a process for Secretary of State to list vehicles as "automated" and sets out that if a listed vehicle causes an accident while driving itself, liability will be placed directly onto the vehicle's insurer. This provides victims with a clear and single point of contact for compensation.The insurer’s liability may be limited where the injured party’s actions contributed to the accident. And after compensating the victim, the Act also gives the insurer the right to bring a claim against the party at fault for the accident, for example the vehicle manufacturer.Vehicles piloted under the Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme will be listed under the 2018 Act if in the Secretary of State’s opinion they can safely and legally drive themselves for at least part of the journey without being monitored by a safety driver. Subject to consultation outcomes, the Automated Passenger Services permitting scheme is expected to be in place from Spring 2026.Once the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 is fully in force, which we expect to happen in the second half of 2027, listing decisions will be replaced by the Secretary of State’s decisions as to whether to authorise vehicles. As with listing, vehicles will only be authorised if the Secretary of State is satisfied that the vehicles can safely and legally drive themselves. The rest of the provisions of the 2018 Act will continue to apply so that the insurer will be liable if an authorised vehicle causes an accident when driving itself.

What steps she is taking to ensure occupant safety in automated vehicles.

The Automated Passenger Services permitting scheme consultation sought views from respondents on what sort of information could be published by permit holders in respect of the safeguarding of passengers. The consultation closed at the end of the September and responses are being analysed. Government intends that any organisation wishing to deploy an automated passenger services can evidence robust safeguarding policies to ensure passenger safety throughout the journey.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of automated vehicles on road safety.

With 88% of road traffic collisions currently involving human error as a contributory factor, self-driving vehicles offer an opportunity to make our roads safer for the people who rely on them.Government will publish a Statement of Safety Principles – subject to consultation and approval by Parliament – against which the safety of these vehicles will be assessed.The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 commits us to framing the statement of safety principle with a view to securing that:authorised automated vehicles will achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or higher than, that of careful and competent human drivers. This is the same high standard to which we hold humans, and a higher standard than that of the average driver on UK roads – which is dragged down by those who break the law, or who are distracted, tired, or intoxicated; androad safety in Great Britain will be better because of authorised automated vehicles on roads than it would otherwise be.Those companies that take responsibility for self-driving vehicles will be subject to a rigorous new regulatory regime, which will operate alongside an independent Incident Investigation function.Together, this will build-in the same culture of learning and continuous improvement that has helped make our aviation, nuclear, and pharmaceutical industries some of the safest in the world.In June 2025, we published a call for evidence on the statement of safety principles. Responses are now being analysed, and we intend to publish a further consultation on the principles in 2026.

What proportion of vehicles involved in road traffic crashes within the last five years had no registered keeper.

The information requested is not held by the Department.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 74032 on Motor vehicles: registration, how many vehicles account for the remaining 7 per cent of vehicles identified that are neither contactable or traceable by the DVLA.

The latest available data shows that of the 52,898,866 vehicles on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s vehicle database, 49,270,958 are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder it is estimated that around 2,889,000 vehicles are in the motor trade where a vehicle can legitimately have no registered keeper. Information on the number of people who did not notify the DVLA of a change of keeper is not available.

What proportion of drivers failed to notify the DVLA of a change of vehicle keeper or ownership in the preceeding five years.

The latest available data shows that of the 52,898,866 vehicles on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s vehicle database, 49,270,958 are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder it is estimated that around 2,889,000 vehicles are in the motor trade where a vehicle can legitimately have no registered keeper. Information on the number of people who did not notify the DVLA of a change of keeper is not available.

What steps she is taking to ensure that data from electric vehicles is provided to the authorities in the event of a road traffic crash.

Event Data Recorders (EDRs) are systems which store information related to vehicle dynamics and other parameters in the moments around a collision. These enable effective crash investigations and analysis of safety equipment performance. Where appropriate, this data can be made available to relevant authorities through their investigatory powers, which is a matter for the Home Office. Many vehicles, not just electric vehicles, are fitted with Event Data Recorders (EDRs) due to requirements in other markets. The Government is exploring options for updates to our national type approval legislation to mandate fitment of EDRs along with other safety technologies and vehicle design features in Great Britain.