Debate contribution: MOT Testing: Backlog

Debate contribution by Mr John O'Dowd on 11 March 2024.

MLA: Mr John O'Dowd
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 11 March 2024
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: MOT Testing: Backlog
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4270245

Text

Before I enter the substantive debate, I say this to Members: yes, there was a press release prepared for the debate, but it was embargoed until 7.00 pm, so I do not know why it is in whatever media outlet it is in. I have asked my Department to follow that up, because I respect the Chamber, and, as would be expected, I have come here to respond to the debate and inform Members of my plans. I apologise to the House for that happening, and I will follow it up. I thank Deborah Erskine, Keith Buchanan and Stephen Dunne for tabling the motion on MOT testing. There has been significant political and media interest in the delivery of DVA services not just recently but over the past few years, and it is timely that I address the Assembly to advise of the steps that the DVA has taken to increase its vehicle testing capacity and the further proposals to address the continued high demand for those essential services. As everyone knows, there is increasing demand, and it is difficult to meet, but we have to plan for and meet that demand. In 2022-23, as has been said, the DVA conducted over 1·5 million vehicle tests, which is the highest number ever recorded in a year. That was achieved by recruiting additional vehicle examiners and offering vehicle testing appointments on Sundays and bank holidays when testing is not normally available; indeed, DVA centres were open every day last year apart from seven days. Other than health services, I can think of no public service that is more accessible to the public.
I will give way briefly, but I will not give way again after that.
That suggests, Keith, that the staff working in those centres are underperforming, and I reject that. The staff are working hard and doing overtime. You cannot force staff to do overtime, but many staff are doing it. The centres that are open and the staff in them are performing a significant public duty, on many occasions, over and above the call of duty, and I commend them. Far too often, the debate has, understandably, been negative, and the butt of that negativity has been the staff. The staff are doing their job. We have to ensure that they are given the resources and the facilities to do that job. The DVA continues to greatly exceed pre-COVID levels of vehicle testing as it tries to manage the continuing high demand for this public service. Disappointingly, over 50,000 customers failed to attend a booked appointment in 2022-23, which was also the highest number on record. In a survey conducted by the DVA, the most common reason given by customers was that they simply forgot, which calls into question whether the MOT test is too expensive. Customers said that they simply forgot about their test, their vehicle was not ready for the test or they had sold the vehicle. The DVA's new booking system has the facility to issue an email and SMS reminder to customers two days before their test is due. Previously, customers had to opt in to receive those reminders, but the DVA updated the system in July 2023 to issue the reminders automatically unless the customer chooses to opt out. That appears to be having a positive effect that will, I hope, be reflected in future statistics. The demand for MOTs is increasing, driven by increasing numbers of cars of MOT age on our roads. The cost-of-living crisis means that we own our cars for longer and more MOTs are required. Waiting times for vehicle testing therefore remain longer than usual, and, in some cases, customers may not be able to have their vehicle tested before their current MOT certificate expires. I recognise the frustration that that causes customers, often requiring them to make multiple visits to the booking system in order to identify a suitable appointment. The DVA has taken steps to ensure that motorists are still able to use their vehicle when they are unable to secure an MOT appointment before their current certificate expires by securing the support of the PSNI and insurance companies. In addition, anyone who cannot secure an appointment before their tax expires or whose tax has already expired should complete a short-notice appointment request form for an urgent appointment. The DVA currently asks customers to contact them within five days of their tax expiring, but I can confirm that, with immediate effect, the DVA is extending that window to 10 days to provide more flexibility for customers and reduce any anxiety. When Members of the House are contacted by members of the public who are concerned about their tax running out, I encourage you to tell them that there are options available to them. The test will not always be at their nearest test centre, and it will not always be the most convenient, but options are available.
On that point, I find it remarkable that, as a society and as political leaders in society, we are comfortable telling people to travel significant distances to have a medical test or life-changing operation or treatment, but we are aghast — some Members in the Chamber have been aghast — at the fact that we have asked people to travel an extra distance to get an MOT test. That is one issue on which we could debate at length where our priorities are. I will give way quickly to the Committee Chair.
Certainly, the legal position is this: even if you were to drive out of an MOT centre with an MOT certificate and you were stopped by the police the next day and they found a fault with your vehicle, that MOT certificate would not cover you. You are legally responsible for the upkeep of your vehicle at all times — at all times — so, on the idea that we are asking people to travel distances in a car that may be unroadworthy, I say this: they are legally responsible for that vehicle. They have to make sure that their car is roadworthy.
No, I have a lot to get through. As with many public services — I remind Members that it is a public service, and it has faced the same crises and difficulties as other public services — the recruitment and retention of staff has become increasingly challenging for the DVA, given the competitive marketplace for mechanics. Positively, however, DVA vehicle examiners were regraded to the next higher grade in 2023, and the implementation of long-overdue public-sector pay deals will hopefully stabilise that position. The DVA has 55 staff vacancies across its network of test centres, and, through tackling pay, it has received 133 applications in its recent vehicle examiner recruitment competition. It is anticipated that successful candidates will begin to be posted to test centres from early June. That will provide additional capacity for vehicle testing across its network of test centres. I have asked the DVA to release additional appointments for those new recruits as soon as possible. Fifty-five new examiners will provide a hugely significant increase in appointments each year and are expected to have a positive impact for customers. The DVA is also recruiting new full-time examiners, who will take up positions from late March onwards. That will reduce requirements for dual role examiners to conduct driving tests, which will also have a positive impact on vehicle testing capacity. To further increase vehicle testing capacity, the DVA is investing in new test centres, as has been said, with the construction of Hydebank test centre and new office accommodation at the same location commencing in January 2021. Members will be aware that that was in the middle of a pandemic, and we were dealing with a public health emergency and the many restrictions that that imposed on us all. Inevitably, that and other factors, such as a global shortage of construction materials, caused delays to the programme of works. However, I am pleased to confirm that the construction works are now complete and the office accommodation is in use. During 2021, considerable difficulties also arose with the equipment implementation contract. Having worked to resolve those issues without success, in February 2022, the DVA issued a notice of termination to the contractor. The contractor sought an injunction. It is a matter of public record that, in August 2022, the court found in its favour whilst applying conditions on the successful installation and commissioning of new equipment at Hydebank. The DVA has had to re-engage the contractor, agreeing measures to de-risk the project, and has since been progressing the delivery of a revised work programme with it. The contractor completed the installation and commissioning of new equipment and associated software at Hydebank in early February 2024. The DVA is working with it to complete user acceptance testing to ensure that the equipment functions in accordance with the requirements of the tender specifications. Once that is complete, the DVA will put the equipment and software through extensive stress and testing to ensure that it operates to the required standards in a simulated test centre environment. I am sure that Members will agree that it is critical to ensure that the new equipment at Hydebank has been assessed by DVA as safe and fit for purpose before the test centre can open to public vehicle testing. On the point that Dr Aiken and other Members have raised, no lift equipment in MOT centres has failed. Minor cracks have been found in a number of the joints by an independent assessor who has assessed those cracks as being in the lowest category. The assessor has confirmed the health and safety of that equipment and that it can continue to be used. No lifts are not functioning as a result of the detection of those cracks. We have increased our maintenance check-ups. The maintenance and health and safety of any equipment in our test centres is paramount. All test centres are operating with the lifts in place. The contract for the construction of a second new test centre at Mallusk was awarded on 25 January 2024. Work will commence on the site in mid-May, and the test centre is expected to open in autumn 2025. Once fully operational, the two new test centres at Hydebank and Mallusk will provide the capacity to test over 200,000 vehicles per year. DVA officials keep me updated on developments at Hydebank. Subject to successful testing and due diligence of the equipment, I hope to be able to update Members and announce the opening of Hydebank test centre for vehicles later this year. On increased fees, the DVA has not been immune to the increased costs that all organisations face. DVA staff costs, accommodation costs, contract costs and service costs have all increased significantly. The DVA operates as a trading fund. It is required to cover the cost of delivering services from the fees that it charges customers. Driving test and vehicle test fees have increased from 1 October 2023. Fees for the majority of driving tests had not increased since 2009 and for vehicle tests since 2005. The new fee of £38 for a car MOT represents good value for money and is below the comparative fees of £54·85 in Britain and €55 in the South. I appreciate the frustration that many customers feel, but privatisation is not the way forward. Some Members have called for the adoption of a vehicle-testing model through a network of authorised test stations, similar to that in Britain. Let there be no mistake: that is a call for the privatisation of MOT services, which would take jobs away from valued public-sector workers and their families, the same public-sector workers whom Members are so quick to commend. I will never accept that approach, today or tomorrow. The existing legislative framework does not allow for it, and I have no plans to change the legislation. Indeed, Britain is an outlier in the private testing of vehicles in that manner. It is more expensive, and, as has been much debated elsewhere, there are concerns about fraud at a number of centres in Britain. As I have said, DVA staff are working extremely hard to reduce waiting times through increasing capacity. I have asked officials to bring forward for my urgent consideration options that might help to relieve pressure on the system, such as the introduction of temporary exemption certificates and proposals to consult on biennial testing, which the amendment calls for. The proposers of the amendment will be aware that DFI undertook a call for evidence on the potential introduction of biennnial MOT testing for private cars in 2021. As has been stated, there were over 1,200 responses. While many of the public support biennial testing, it has to be emphasised that the PSNI is opposed to such a measure, as is the insurance industry, which, in response to the call for evidence, said that, as well as the road safety issues, biennial testing may lead to increased insurance costs. I am sure that no Member wishes to increase the burden on hard-pressed workers and families by seeing insurance companies cranking up insurance costs. As I have said, I will explore carefully all matters that have been raised today. It is my intention to ensure that we increase the number of MOT tests that the DVA can make available. There are measures announced today that can happen immediately; others may take a little longer. I have asked my officials to bring a report to me. I hope to report to the Assembly on these matters after the Easter recess, which shows the urgency of the matters involved. I will quickly address a number of other matters. A number of sites have been proposed west of the Bann. Land has been purchased at Enniskillen and Campsie. Further financial clearance and a look at our business cases will be required to make sure that they are fit for purpose.
Harry Harvey talked about a 10-lane super-centre. I can advise him that we have eight- and nine-lane super-centres coming on board but not a 10-lane one.

2,354 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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