AQW 22332/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 13/09/2021
Answered On Date: 21/09/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to outline whether any plans exist to enable motorists to include their driving licence within (i) iPhone; and (ii) Android mobile phone handsets.

Answer:

The Department currently has no existing plans in place to enable motorists to include their driving licence within their mobile handsets.

On 16 September 2021 the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, announced that Digital Driving Licences will be introduced in GB as part of their post-Brexit measures to make transport, “fairer, greener and more efficient”. Initially online versions of the provisional licence will be made available and the DVLA has committed to developing an app featuring the licences by 2024.

My officials will continue to engage with DfT officials on this matter to ensure that an informed decision can be made on the way forward for Northern Ireland.