Newslink October 2021

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were automatically renewed for 11
months. The DVLA has also launched
ten new online services to make things
easier for customers, including online
tachograph applications and change of
address and duplicate V5C (logbook)
services.
From 6 April to 31 August the PCS
union held a series of strikes at the
DVLA. The cumulative impact of
industrial action and having had fewer
staff on site to ensure social distancing in
line with Welsh Government
requirements has meant that the time
taken to process paper applications has
increased. PCS specifically targeted the
drivers’ medical section for a month-long
strike in August.
The driver’s medical area has also
been affected by the massive pressure
the pandemic has placed on the NHS. It
is a legal requirement for drivers to notify
the DVLA of the onset or worsening of
any health condition that may affect their
fitness to drive. Following a notification,
the DVLA must assess a driver’s fitness
to drive which can often involve seeking
further information from a GP or other
health professional involved in the
driver’s care. However, guidance from
‘‘
The response from government
is nothing if not predictable...
the Petitions Committee felt
that the response did not
directly address the request of
the petition and have asked for
a revised response
‘‘
the British Medical Association at the
start of the pandemic advised GP
practices to deprioritise non-essential
work. This has only very recently been
updated to say previously deprioritised
work may need to be reviewed, including
DVLA medical checks which help
maintain people’s wellbeing and
livelihoods.
The DVLA has put in place a range of
mitigating measures to reduce the
backlog of paper transactions, including
the introduction of additional online
services at pace in response to the
pandemic, which has helped to reduce
the number of postal applications
received and processed manually by
DVLA staff. DVLA staff are working
evenings and at weekends and additional
staff have been recruited to tackle the
backlogs. The DVLA is also securing
additional office space to provide surge
capacity for medical applications, as well
as to provide resilience and business
continuity going forward. [ends]
This response is nothing if not predictable,
writes Colin Lilly. All petitions and
responses are reviewed by the Petitions
Committee, a committee made up of 11
MPs from government and opposition
parties. They are independent of the
government and can press the government
for action and to gather evidence.
The Petitions Committee have
considered the government’s response to
this petition and felt that the response
did not directly address the request of
petition and have therefore written back
to the Government to ask them to
provide a revised response.
So, the saga continues. We will update
you when the modified response is
published.
NEWSLINK n OCTOBER 2021
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