Members of the MOT Trade Forum met with the Transport Minister, Andrew Jones MP, responsible for MOT Testing, at the Houses of Parliament on 10th November.
They met with the Minister to discuss the MOT Testing Scheme, and more specifically to discuss having the current MOT reviewed (frozen now for nearly six years) with a view to its being increased both in line with inflation, and to account for additional items inspected under the recent EU changes, as well as providing an increase to account for costs previously met by VOSA/DVSA and now borne by Testing Stations.
The Minister agreed to reviewing the MOT fee, but noted it would not happen until into 2016. The Forum members, Dave Garratt Chief Executive of the Garage Equipment Association, John Ball, the proprietor of a small MOT Testing Chain in the South of England, and Jim Punter, the Forum Chairman and Editor of MOT Testing magazine, also proposed that the fee be either banded with a maximum and minimum fee chargeable, or be set with a baseline fee which which could not be discounted, but without an upper limit. The Minister was less certain regarding his support for these suggestions, but promised to give them serious consideration.
Finally, Dave Garratt, involved heavily in the Automotive Aftermarket Liaison Group (ALLG) who are strongly opposing any move to defer vehicles’ first MOT for a year, discussed that with the Minister and urged him to leave the situation as it is.
The Forum members said that the Minister did listen attentively to what they had to say, and would be in touch.