The pandemic exposed weaknesses in the DVLA’s current operations which rely heavily on staff working on site and IT systems that hold customers’ personal information which staff can only access on site. Currently, remote working is limited, particularly for operational staff working on driving licences who have to be on site to work. The DVLA told us that at present, almost 60% of staff are working entirely on site as they have been doing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while the other 40% of the DVLA’s staff are in roles that permit hybrid working and work on site at least 40% of the time. The DVLA highlighted “a really strong sense of fairness” in its culture, which it said means the current situation where non-operational staff now have the opportunity to hybrid work between their homes and the office, while others must be on site, is challenging.52 The 46 Qq 51, 109 47 Qq 53, 80–82; C&AG’s Report, para 1.9; Letter from DVLA to PAC dated 8 December 48 Q 90 49 Qq 45, 105; Letter from DVLA to PAC dated 8 December 50 Qq 46, 47, 98 51 Qq 23, 76 52 Qq 36, 48; C&AG’s Report, paras 1.7, 3.15 16 Driving licence backlogs at the DVLA DVLA told us there were many issues with remote access to driving licence data systems, including security of the large amount of personal information it holds, and underlying technological challenges. The DVLA’s digital transformation plans aim to improve customer experiences, but do not aim to increase resilience through making it possible for more staff to work from home.53