Written question asked by Alex Sobel (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 October 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 October 2021 (named day). It was answered by Trudy Harrison (Conservative) on Monday, 25 October 2021 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Motor Vehicles: Mileometers

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require the recording of car mileage at every MOT and car service to minimise mileage fraud, where the mileage of newer cars not yet subject to MOTs were captured and recorded.

Answer: The Government recognises the seriousness of odometer fraud. While it is not mandatory to record mileage every time a vehicle is serviced, it is recorded as part of the annual MOT test. In order to reduce the ease of fraud, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has made MOT data far more transparent online through the open publishing of MOT history data, including odometer readings. This makes it far easier for consumers to detect potential mileage fraud. The Department for Transport continues to work closely with the DVSA in considering whether further changes to the vehicle testing system might reduce the risk of fraud and improve outcomes for motorists and the public.

Secondary information