Question
9. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the DVLA’s performance levels.
Answer
In 2025-26, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issued 12.3 million driving licences, processed over 100 million individual customer transactions and issued 18.5 million vehicle registration certificates. We recognise that improvement is needed on the time taken to process medical driving licence applications, and plans are in place to address this.
Verdict: AMBER (32/100)
The reply partly answers the question. It states that the department considers performance needs to improve, but only for medical driving licence processing, not for the DVLA's performance overall. It says 'plans are in place' without naming them, setting targets, or giving timescales, and the volume figures it provides describe activity rather than whether performance is adequate. The asker would likely need to follow up to get a clear assessment of overall performance and specifics on the improvement plans.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the department's assessment or view of the adequacy of the DVLA's performance levels. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply gives the department's view that performance needs improvement, but only for medical driving licence processing, not DVLA performance overall. The statement that 'plans are in place' names no specific plan, target, or timescale. The three volume statements (1-3) report activity levels, not an assessment of adequacy. |