Every parliamentary written question tabled by Sarah Coombes this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 65 · Department for Transport
How many people were penalised for driving a vehicle with no registered keeper in the last five years.
While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) maintains a register of vehicles and their keepers, on road enforcement of the law rests primarily with the police.
How many and what proportion of people waiting to be tried in court for motoring offences had their driving licence revoked while waiting for court proceedings to begin in the latest period for which data is available.
The Department for Transport does not hold this information.
How many and what proportion of people who were waiting to be tried in court for motoring offences had their driving licence revoked while waiting for court proceedings to begin in the latest period for which data is available.
The Department for Transport does not hold this information.The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.
How many times the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency revoked the driving licence of a driver who reached 12 points on their driving licence in each of the last 10 years.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s role in the driving licence endorsement and disqualification process is to update and maintain the driver record with information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service. The DVLA does not disqualify individuals from driving. The courts are responsible for convicting and sentencing individuals for road traffic offences and notifies the DVLA of any convictions where the offence attracts either penalty points or a period of disqualification.Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify them. The courts may decide to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered by the court that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These are decisions for the courts and not the DVLA. On 30 August 2025 there were 10,384 drivers with more than 12 or more penalty points who have current driving entitlement and have not been disqualified by a court.The table below shows the number of drivers who have been disqualified from driving by a court as they have received 12 or more penalty points over the last four years. Some drivers may appear more than once in this table. Please note that this type of disqualification is removed from the driver record after four years so figures are not available before 30 August 2021.YearNumber of drivers with a TT99 offence202114,158202242,367202339,586202441,0202025 (to 30 August)27,313 The DVLA does not hold information on the number of drivers who have applied to have their driving disqualification period reduced.
How many drivers have applied to reduce their driving disqualification period in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those applications were successful.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s role in the driving licence endorsement and disqualification process is to update and maintain the driver record with information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service. The DVLA does not disqualify individuals from driving. The courts are responsible for convicting and sentencing individuals for road traffic offences and notifies the DVLA of any convictions where the offence attracts either penalty points or a period of disqualification.Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify them. The courts may decide to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered by the court that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These are decisions for the courts and not the DVLA. On 30 August 2025 there were 10,384 drivers with more than 12 or more penalty points who have current driving entitlement and have not been disqualified by a court.The table below shows the number of drivers who have been disqualified from driving by a court as they have received 12 or more penalty points over the last four years. Some drivers may appear more than once in this table. Please note that this type of disqualification is removed from the driver record after four years so figures are not available before 30 August 2021.YearNumber of drivers with a TT99 offence202114,158202242,367202339,586202441,0202025 (to 30 August)27,313 The DVLA does not hold information on the number of drivers who have applied to have their driving disqualification period reduced.
How many drivers successfully claimed exceptional hardship when they reached 12 penalty points and continued to drive in the last five years.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s role in the driving licence endorsement and disqualification process is to update and maintain the driver record with information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service. The DVLA does not disqualify individuals from driving. The courts are responsible for convicting and sentencing individuals for road traffic offences and notifies the DVLA of any convictions where the offence attracts either penalty points or a period of disqualification.Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify them. The courts may decide to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered by the court that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These are decisions for the courts and not the DVLA. On 30 August 2025 there were 10,384 drivers with more than 12 or more penalty points who have current driving entitlement and have not been disqualified by a court.The table below shows the number of drivers who have been disqualified from driving by a court as they have received 12 or more penalty points over the last four years. Some drivers may appear more than once in this table. Please note that this type of disqualification is removed from the driver record after four years so figures are not available before 30 August 2021.YearNumber of drivers with a TT99 offence202114,158202242,367202339,586202441,0202025 (to 30 August)27,313 The DVLA does not hold information on the number of drivers who have applied to have their driving disqualification period reduced.
What assessment she has made of the proportion of DVLA keeper records that are (a) missing and (b) falsified.
The latest available data shows that more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) records. Of the remainder, around six per cent of vehicles are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper. Information on potentially falsified keeper data is not readily available as the DVLA will only become aware of alleged incidents of this when it is identified through customer contact, third-party notification, or enforcement activity.
What estimate she has made of the number and proportion of vehicles that have no registered keeper.
There are long-standing and robust measures, including legislative requirements, in place to ensure that keepers notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is already an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.The DVLA is working to reduce the number of vehicles on UK roads that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. It also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles.Based on the latest available data, more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s vehicle record. Of the remainder, around 6% are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.
Whether she has made an assessment of the correlation between drivers (a) who fail to produce (i) a driving licence, (ii) an MOT certificate and (iii) insurance certificate and (b) convicted of (A) dangerous driving, (B) driving under the influence and (C) causing serious (1) injury and (2) death by (a) careless and (b) dangerous driving.
My department has not made a specific assessment of this type. Nonetheless the Government is committed to improving road safety, with a new Road Safety Strategy under development which will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.
What recent discussions she has had with the DVLA on reducing the number of vehicles with no registered keeper on the roads.
There are long-standing and robust measures, including legislative requirements, in place to ensure that keepers notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is already an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.The DVLA is working to reduce the number of vehicles on UK roads that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. It also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles.Based on the latest available data, more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s vehicle record. Of the remainder, around 6% are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.
How many drivers with three or more driving-related convictions retained their driving licence in each of the last five years.
A scan of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s driving licence database is required to provide the information requested. DVLA officials will write to the Honourable Member with this information when it is available.
If she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of (a) taxi and (b) private hire vehicles that use number plates that do not conform with regulations.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of illegal number plates as well as number plates with raised characters, commonly known as ‘4D plates’. Some 4D plates can also be described as ‘ghost’ plates where the characters are constructed from materials that are unable to be read by infrared Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems. Work is currently ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation, which would include on taxis and private hire vehicles.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the guidance entitled Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities in England, published on 17 November 2023, to include guidance on compliance with registration plate regulations.
It is an offence for any vehicle to display a vehicle registration number plate that does not comply with the relevant regulations. Work is ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation on our roads, which will include taxis and private hire vehicles. The evidence gathered will be considered when evaluating potential future action, such as amending the best practice guidance, that may be taken to address this issue.
What her planned timeframe is for publishing a road safety strategy.
This Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing the first road safety strategy in over a decade, and will set out more details in due course.
If she will take steps to tackle the use of ghost number plates on public highways.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs Council, various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of modified number plates, including those commonly known as ‘ghost plates’. The police are responsible for on road enforcement of existing number plate offences. It is already an offence to display a vehicle registration number that does not comply with the relevant regulations. Work is ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation. The evidence gathered will be considered when evaluating potential future action that may be taken to address this issue.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of regulations governing the use of ghost number plates..
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs Council, various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of modified number plates, including those commonly known as ‘ghost plates’. The police are responsible for on road enforcement of existing number plate offences. It is already an offence to display a vehicle registration number that does not comply with the relevant regulations. Work is ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation. The evidence gathered will be considered when evaluating potential future action that may be taken to address this issue.
If she will make an estimate of the number of ghost plates in circulation.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of illegal number plates as well as number plates with raised characters, commonly known as ‘4D plates’. Some 4D plates can also be described as ‘ghost’ plates where the characters are constructed from materials that are unable to be read by infrared Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems. Work is currently ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation, including ‘ghost’ plates.
What discussions she has had with taxi licensing authorities on enforcement on illegal stealth number plates.
We are aware of the issue of ghost plates being used on vehicles, including taxis and private hire vehicles. We would expect licensing authorities to work with the police to address this.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to prevent the sale of novelty number plates.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of illegal number plates as well as number plates with raised characters, commonly known as ‘4D plates’. Some 4D plates can also be described as ‘ghost’ plates where the characters are constructed from materials that are unable to be read by infrared Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems. Work is currently ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation.It is already an offence to sell number plates that do not meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. That offence is punishable by a fine of up to £2,500. The DVLA works with the police and Trading Standards to help prosecute suppliers found to be operating outside of the law. Number plates are currently supplied by private businesses who are required to be registered with the DVLA. Suppliers who fail to request proof of identification or entitlement to the registration number can be subject to enforcement action, including fines and removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers via a court order.
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the DVLA's Registered Number Plate Suppliers in preventing vehicle crime.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), various police forces and Trading Standards in relation to the supply and use of illegal number plates as well as number plates with raised characters, commonly known as ‘4D plates’. Some 4D plates can also be described as ‘ghost’ plates where the characters are constructed from materials that are unable to be read by infrared Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems. Work is currently ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation.It is already an offence to sell number plates that do not meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. That offence is punishable by a fine of up to £2,500. The DVLA works with the police and Trading Standards to help prosecute suppliers found to be operating outside of the law. Number plates are currently supplied by private businesses who are required to be registered with the DVLA. Suppliers who fail to request proof of identification or entitlement to the registration number can be subject to enforcement action, including fines and removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers via a court order.