PMQs – Johnson dodges driver shortage question

Boris Johnson failed to answer a question about the driver shortage in today’s Prime Minister’s Questions (Wednesday 30 June).

Glasgow East MP, David Linden (SNP) quizzed the Prime Minister on why HGV drivers aren’t on the Shortage Occupation List, after Bullet Express CEO and RHA board member David McCutcheon raised the issue with him last week.

Mr Johnson glossed over the question saying he’d “look at what he’s [Linden] proposing”, before moving on to talk about the Covid vaccination roll out.

We wrote to the Prime Minister last week calling for urgent action to tackle the shortage which we estimate stands at around 100,000.

We’ve issued ministers with a 12-point action plan offering solutions including adding truckers to the Shortage Occupation List allowing firms to temporarily recruit drivers from abroad.

We’re also calling for longer term measures such as training and apprenticeship support.

David McCutcheon explains in this video how a perfect storm of European drivers leaving the UK, Covid, and IR35 tax changes have increased the shortfall.