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Driving Licences

Asked by Shivani RajaConservativeDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 17 June 2026UIN 1416

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to close the regulatory gap that allows holders of provisional licences, including those converting from non-designated foreign licences, to continue driving unsupervised after failing a GB driving test.

Answered by Simon Lightwood

The current licensing framework reflects the UK’s commitments under the UN Conventions on Road Transport including driving licence recognition. However, there is clearly no compelling policy rationale to justify allowing unsafe drivers to use our roads, so this government is committed to looking into this further. This requires detailed examination of the relevant domestic and international legal framework, and so may take some time, but we are actively looking into what can be done, consistent with the UK's international obligations.

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