DVLA: Chief Exec Gives Evidence on Covid Outbreak
546 cases recorded at the agency since start of pandemic
The DVLA's chief executive is appearing before a Parliamentary committee to face questions over an outbreak of coronavirus at its headquarters in Swansea.
The Transport Committee is looking into the Covid-19 outbreak.
There have been more than 500 positive Covid cases and staff members have told how they are scared to go to work.
The agency's chief executive Julie Lennard and the Estates and HR director Louise White, are giving evidence.
The head of the DVLA has written to MPs, saying an "extensive range of safety measures" have been implemented.
Julie Lennard, said: "It is important to note that it is not correct to say, as media headlines suggested, that there are 500 Covid-19 cases currently at the DVLA’s offices in Swansea. As of 24 January, there have been a total of 546 cases recorded among DVLA staff.
"However, this is a cumulative number since March 2020 and includes both staff working on site and those working from home.
"There are currently no live cases in the DVLA’s contact centre and six live cases across the whole of our workforce of more than 6,000 staff. The six live cases include two people who are working from home.
"The safety of our staff is a top priority and we will continue to ensure they are supported while they carry out the essential public services we provide to motorists across the UK.
All staff who can work from home are doing so. Around 2,000 staff have been working from home permanently since March. We have identified additional operational roles that can be done from home, with changes made to roles and processes, and those roles are also now being carried out by remote workers.
However, in view of the essential nature of the public services we provide, some operational staff are required to be in the office where their role means they cannot work from home.
This is predominantly to deal with paper applications Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency."