To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) whether the Driver and Vehicle Agency still operates as a trading fund, specifically in relation to MOT services; and (ii) to what extent both driver and vehicle testing is tax-payer subsidised.

The Driver and Vehicle Agency still operates as a Trading Fund under the provisions of the Driver & Vehicle Agency Trading Fund (Northern Ireland) Order 2016. MOT services are accounted for within this Trading Fund.

The operational running costs for driver and vehicle testing services are funded from fees charged to customers for these services. Fees for driver and vehicle testing services were recently reviewed and increases were implemented from 1 October 2023. These increases were necessary to ensure these services can be provided without the need for a taxpayer subsidy.