To ask the Minister for Infrastructure what actions he is taking to counteract drivers being penalised for lapsed car tax, due to the unavailability of MOT appointments.

Vehicle Excise Duty (Motor Tax) is an excepted matter and is administered and enforced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea on behalf of HM Treasury. The DVA has no authority or influence with the DVLA on these matters.

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. The DVA’s advice to vehicle owners who require an MOT to tax their vehicle and cannot secure a date before their MOT expires is to:

book the earliest available appointment;

keep checking the booking system for an appointment before their MOT expires.

If they get to within five days of the expiry date of their vehicle tax and they have been unable to secure an appointment, or their vehicle tax has expired, they should contact the DVA Customer Services team at dva.customerservices@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk and they will do their best to get an urgent appointment for the vehicle. To date, all customers who have contacted the DVA in these circumstances have been offered an earlier appointment.