To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail (i) the current advice for motorists, and in particular key workers, who require their car for work, medical appointments and other essential journeys, but who have not been able to book a test because of the backlog and whose online MOT status shows their test has expired, meaning they are also unable to secure tax and insurance; and (ii) the steps she has taken to ensure key workers are able to use their car for work, even if they cannot secure an MOT test due to the current backlog.

Since vehicle testing was suspended in late March 2020 due to Covid-19, the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) has applied TECs to all eligible vehicles to ensure that they may continue to be driven legally on the road. From 20 July 2020, MOT testing resumed for priority vehicle groups, including those vehicles not able to avail of TECs. The DVA has steadily increased its vehicle testing capacity by adopting a range of measures including the recruitment of additional vehicle examiners, the use of overtime to provide cover for leave and sick absence and a reduction of the vehicle test appointment time.

In light of the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, I recently announced that existing TECs for qualifying vehicles will be extended by a further four months. This applies to private cars, light goods vehicles and motorcycles aged 4-9 years, with TECs which will expire between 26 March 2021 and 25 March 2022. Four year old cars and motorcycles and three year old light goods vehicles due a first time test between the above dates will also have a four month TEC applied.

New TECs or extensions to existing TECs will be applied automatically to allow vehicles to be taxed. Customers do not need to do anything until they receive a reminder notification from the DVA to present their vehicle for test.

The DVA is delivering vehicle testing at all 15 of its test centres. While there is sufficient capacity for customers to book a vehicle test appointment, it may not always be possible to book a test at their preferred test centre, and they may have to travel to an alternative centre to secure a test before their current test pass certificate expires.

The demand for vehicle testing is high due in part to customers, who do not require a test, booking an appointment. To manage capacity, the DVA is currently identifying and cancelling vehicle tests which have been booked by customers even though their vehicle has a current TEC. It also makes additional vehicle test slots available daily at most centres and further slots may also become available due to cancellations. Customers are able to change existing appointments to a different test centre and time if a slot becomes available.

The DVA is also offering vehicle test appointments on a Sunday at most test centres, and has started to release additional vehicle test appointments at most test centres for 17 March, 5 April, 6 April and 3 May 2021. From Monday 8 March, following conversion of an adjoining building at the Newbuildings test centre, additional testing capacity will be available to meet demand in the north-west.

The DVA encourages customers to check the booking system daily as vehicle slots become available at short notice. For those customers who are unable to secure a test date and whose MOT is due to expire within five days or has already expired, they should contact DVA customer services at dva.customerservices@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk and the DVA will seek to secure an urgent appointment for the customer.

Like all public facing services, the Covid-19 restrictions mean that the DVA will continue to adapt its services to ensure that they can be provided safely and they would ask customers for their patience at this difficult time.

It is my priority to ensure that our staff and customers remain safe and the DVA will continue to be guided by the latest public health and scientific advice as we work as quickly as we can to serve all our customers.