To ask the Minister for Infrastructure what measures are being undertaken to address the back log for MOT tests.

In 2022-2023, the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) conducted over 1.15 million vehicle tests which is the highest number ever recorded in a year. This increase in capacity has been achieved by adopting a range of measures including the recruitment of additional vehicle examiners, the use overtime to provide cover for leave and offering vehicle test appointments on Sundays and bank holidays, when testing is not normally available. Disappointingly, the number of vehicles that failed to attend a booked appointment in 2022-2023 was also the highest on record at 50,772.

A further vehicle examiner recruitment competition will launch on 19 February 2024 to fill staff vacancies across the DVA’s network of test centres.

The DVA appreciates that, in some cases, customers may not be able to have their vehicles tested before their current MOT certificate expires and has taken steps to ensure that motorists are still able to use their vehicles when they are unable to secure an MOT appointment before their current MOT expires. The latest information on MOTs is available on NI Direct at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/guide-booking-your-mot-vehicle-test and is also included as an advice note with every MOT reminder letter issued to customers.

Vehicle test appointments are released on a daily basis, when resources become available, so customers are encouraged to regularly check the booking system as they may be able to change their existing appointment to a different test centre and time if a slot becomes available. Information on how a customer can change, cancel or view their MOT appointment online is available on NI Direct at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/change-cancel-or-view-your-mot-test-appointment-online.

To further increase vehicle testing capacity, the DVA is investing in new test centres. The construction of a new test centre at Hydebank, in Belfast, is nearing completion and will open later this year. The construction contract for a second new test centre at Mallusk has also been awarded and this new test centre is expected to open in 2025. Once fully operational, these two new centres will provide the capacity to test over 200,000 additional vehicles per annum, which will help the DVA meet the future demand for this service.