Mr. Declan Naughton:

I can take that question as well. At pre-pandemic theory test capacity, we were able to have normal waiting times of up three weeks by doing 15,000 to 17,000 theory tests every month.

To deal with the backlog that happened over the first level 5 restrictions, we moved up to being able to do between 22,000 and 25,000 tests, and that helped us to loss some of the lost ground. Clearly, with further level 5 restrictions during October to November, and also from late December to now going on to April, much more fundamental measures are needed. Over the last month or six weeks, we have engaged with the service provider, Prometric, to see how to bring back the waiting times and meet the demand that is there. The puzzle that is now signed off on is that the capacity will be doubled over those coming months. The plan initially had been that if we were back up and running on 5 March, that for the months of April, May and June, potentially, 50,000 tests could be delivered in each of those months. That is pushed out now obviously because we will not be back up and running until April. If we look at the number of people who have test appointments at the moment, the number is a little over 82,000. What that extra capacity will do is generate slots into the system that either new people can apply for or in the case of existing people who have slots up to October and November of this year, they can pull back and apply for another earlier slot during the year. They are both options that are available to either existing candidates or new people wishing for an appointment. That is signed off on with the service provider.