Overview
- Thirty‑six Ministry of Defence examiners will conduct civilian tests one day a week for 12 months, expected to add roughly 6,500 slots at high‑demand centres.
- Legislation will restrict bookings to individual learners, ban third‑party and instructor bookings, cap changes to two, and limit moves to nearby centres to curb resales.
- Average waits stand around 21.8–22 weeks, with 642,000 learners holding bookings by the end of October and 182,000 tests conducted in October, up 9% year on year.
- Examiners will receive a £5,000 retention payment next year after recruitment of 316 yielded a net gain of just over 40 due to departures.
- The MoD will charge the DVSA about £100,000 for the support, and DVSA chief executive Loveday Ryder is departing as ministers press new leadership to cut delays.