Driving Standards Agency's Blog, page 5

Policy paper: DSA Welsh language scheme

The Welsh Language Act 1993 requires all public bodies including DSA to prepare and adopt a Welsh language scheme.

When conducting public business in Wales DSA will treat the English and Welsh languages equally.

The scheme:

uses the guidelines issued by the Welsh Language Board
is published and available to all our staff and the public

Corporate report: Equality monitoring in DSA 2012 to 2013

An analysis of staff diversity, for staff in post between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

The analysis looks at:

staff in post
cessations
grievances and discipline
training
sickness absence
performance marking
recruitment

It considers whether there were significant differences with respect to:

sex
race
disability
pay band
age
sexual orientation
religion and belief
working pattern

Policy paper: DVSA transitional board minutes, 15 October 2013

The transitional board sets the strategic direction for the agency. Every month, the board meets to discuss the most important issues for the agency.

Policy paper: DVSA transitional board minutes, 13 November 2013

The transitional board sets the strategic direction for the agency. Every month, the board meets to discuss the most important issues for the agency.

Policy paper: DVSA transitional board minutes, 2 October 2013

The transitional board sets the strategic direction for the agency. Every month, the board meets to discuss the most important issues for the agency.

Collection: DVSA transitional board: meeting minutes

The DVSA transitional board sets the strategic direction for the agency.

Corporate report: Department for Transport 2013 people survey results

These reports feature results from the 2013 Civil Service People Survey for the Department for Transport (DfT). These survey results are part of a Civil Service wide survey of staff attitudes and experiences of work. The survey was carried out in October 2013.

People survey results for DfT(C) (excluding the agencies)

The people survey report for DfT(C) contain the survey results for DfT, excluding its agencies.1,449 staff took part in the DfT(C) survey, 78% of the department’s staff.

People survey results for DfT (including the agencies)

The people survey report for DfT (including the agencies) contains survey results for:

DfT
Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
Driving Standards Agency (DSA)
Highways Agency (HA)
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)
Vehicle Operator and Services Agency (VOSA)

11,871 staff took part in the survey, 69% of the department’s staff.

Transparency data: DSA staff survey results 2013

The 2013 People Survey is the fifth annual Civil Service-wide survey of our staff’s attitudes and experiences of work.

The 2013 survey was carried out from 1 October to 31 October. Over 270,000 people working in the Civil Service took part.

Detailed guide: Take a drink-drive rehabilitation course

When you can take a course

A magistrate can decide to offer you the chance to take a drink-drive rehabilitation course if:

you’re found guilty of a drink-drive offence
you get a disqualification of 12 months or more

This includes the following offences:

driving or being in charge of a motor vehicle with excess alcohol in their breath, blood or urine
failing to provide a specimen

The court reduce the length of your driving disqualification if you complete the course within a certain time. In these circumstances the period of disqualification is usually reduced by a quarter.

You have to decide in court, when you are found guilty and if offered a referral, if you want to take a course or not. If you choose not to at this time, you will not be able to change your mind at a later date.

Before going to court you can find a course that you want to be referred to if you are found guilty and disqualified from driving:

Find a drink-drive rehabilitation scheme course

Choose a course to take

The court will:

ask you to choose a suitable course
fill in a court referral order which is sent to the course provider

The course can cost up to a maximum of £250.

You can change to another course provider at any point before you book yourself onto a course, without charge. You must tell the course provider you’d originally chosen if you do want to change course provider. They will then send your referral to the new course provider.

When you’ve booked a course you’re subject to the terms and conditions you’ve agreed with the course provider.

You should do the course as soon as possible. The course provider will contact you and give you more details of the courses available and when your course must be completed.

You’re responsible for making sure that you complete the course within the deadline.

During the course

The course aims to help you to change your behaviour so you don’t reoffend.

The courses:

are face-to-face
take place over 16 hours (usually run on 3 days spread over 3 weeks)
will have other drink-drive offenders at them

You can read the course syllabus to find out what’s covered during the course.

After the course

You’ll be given a ‘certificate of course completion’ by the course provider when you complete the course. They will also send a copy to the court that sentenced you. The court will tell DVLA so that your disqualification period is reduced.

You’ll also need to reapply for a driving licence and take a medical if you’re a ‘high risk offender’. You should check to see if you’re a high risk offender as the court may not have mentioned this. Check with your course provider if you’re unsure.

Statistical data set: Practical driving/riding test pass rates (DRT01)

Table DRT0101

Practical driving and riding test pass rates by test class, quarterly, Great Britain: from April 2007
(MS Excel Spreadsheet, 41KB)

Driving tests and instructors statistics enquiries

Email
vehicles.stats@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Public enquiries
020 7944 3077