Topical Questions 2025-06-26

2025-06-26

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Direct Answer
Context
The transport sector generates Britain’s highest emissions. Through collaboration with France, there is an opportunity to transform the world's busiest ferry route into a green shipping corridor.
Through collaboration with France, we have the opportunity to transform the world’s busiest ferry route, across the strait of Dover between Britain and France, into the world’s first high-volume green shipping corridor. Will the Minister commit to championing this great initiative in the UK and at the upcoming COP30?
The hon. Lady is entirely right to highlight the importance of decarbonising our maritime industry and ensuring that our ports have the grid connections to enable fleets to purchase new vessels, so that we can get carbon emissions down on the seas, as well as elsewhere in our economy. I would be very happy to talk to her further about what more we can do to champion that important work.
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Q2 Direct Answer
Gareth Bacon Con
Orpington
Context
Grand Central and Hull Trains have seen their passenger numbers increase dramatically since the pandemic.
Both Grand Central and Hull Trains have seen their passenger numbers increase dramatically since the pandemic, by more than 50% and 20% respectively. That is a significant increase compared with other operators. Why does the right hon. Lady think that might be?
If the hon. Gentleman wants to trade statistics on the rail network, I can tell him that we have seen a massive increase in passenger numbers on TransPennine Express and LNER. In fact, last year we had a 7% overall increase in passenger journeys and passenger revenue overall went up from £10.6 billion to £11.5 billion, which is good news for the taxpayer and a clear sign that people want to come back and use our railways.
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Q3 Direct Answer
Steve Yemm Lab
Mansfield
Context
Local and minor roads were among the worst affected by poor maintenance in a recent survey.
In a recent survey I conducted in Mansfield, local and minor roads were among the worst affected by poor maintenance. The A60 in Warsop, Chesterfield Road in Mansfield and Old Mill Lane in Forest Town were highlighted as particular problems. What is the Department doing to improve local roads in my constituency and in Nottinghamshire as a whole?
My hon. Friend is a great champion for his local constituents. We have provided an extra £500 million for councils this year to end the pothole plague, and the East Midlands combined county authority will receive almost £20 million extra, taking the total to £76 million. For Nottinghamshire to unlock its full uplift, it needs to show that it is following best practice and publish a report on its highways maintenance activities by the end of this month.
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Q4 Direct Answer
Ben Maguire LD
North Cornwall
Context
The Camelford bypass project will not go ahead.
After years of broken promises by the Conservatives, this Government have finally confirmed this week that the Camelford bypass project will not go ahead. Having anticipated that for some time, I have already started working with local stakeholders on a plan B. Will the Roads Minister meet me to discuss an alternative way forward?
I am aware that at least the certainty of a decision was welcomed by the hon. Gentleman, and I appreciate that. The Department is happy to discuss any alternative plans with him and with Cornwall council. We have met before, and I am very happy to meet him again.
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Q5 Direct Answer
John Grady Lab
Glasgow East
Context
First Bus is axing the critical 65 bus, which runs through Dalmarnock, Bridgeton and the Gorbals.
First Bus is axing the critical 65 bus, which runs through Dalmarnock, Bridgeton and the Gorbals in my seat and into the seat of my hon. Friend the Member for Rutherglen (Michael Shanks). Without the 65, Dorothy, who is in her 90s, will not be able to visit family and friends. That is a loss for everyone, because Dorothy is brilliant company. Does the Minister agree that bus operators must take into account the needs of people such as Dorothy before axing critical bus services?
I am sorry to hear about the impact that that is having on Dorothy. As my hon. Friend will know, bus services are a devolved matter in Scotland. In England, we are taking action to put power over buses into the hands of local leaders through the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill.
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Q6 Direct Answer
Tom Gordon LD
Harrogate and Knaresborough
Context
Some shorter journeys with local bus providers have seen an increase in cost by more than inflation.
When the Government introduced the increased £3 bus cap, it saw the cost of a number of shorter journeys with local bus providers increase by more than inflation. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that people are not feeling the effects of Labour’s bus tax?
Participants in the bus fare cap are only able to increase bus fares by inflation, so if the hon. Gentleman wants to speak to me outside the Chamber, I would be happy to take that matter up for him.
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Q7 Direct Answer
Daniel Francis Lab
Bexleyheath and Crayford
Context
Three airports received a “needs improvement” rating for accessibility according to the Civil Aviation Authority airport accessibility performance report.
I was disappointed to see the findings of yesterday’s Civil Aviation Authority airport accessibility performance report, which outlined that three airports—Edinburgh, London Heathrow and Glasgow Prestwick—received a “needs improvement” rating for accessibility. Can my hon. Friend provide an update on when the aviation accessibility task and finish group’s recommendations will be published, and when the Government will be able to outline how they plan to introduce measures to support disabled people who wish to access air travel?
Everyone should be able to travel with dignity and ease, which is why we launched the aviation accessibility task and finish group last year. I expect to be able to provide an update soon, when that group publishes its findings.
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Q8 Partial Answer
Caroline Voaden LD
South Devon
Context
Devon and Torbay combined county authority will receive just £40 million in local transport grant funding from 2026 to 2030, which is less than half the amount awarded to York and North Yorkshire.
Devon and Torbay combined county authority will receive just £40 million between 2026 and 2030 in local transport grant funding—less than half the amount awarded to York and North Yorkshire. A large local operator says that just £1 million a year would make a transformational change in Devon, where rural deprivation is well hidden. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the issues facing the bus network in Devon and the Government investment that is needed?
Our long-term bus investment will support rural areas to improve local bus services. That is on top of the £712 million we have allocated to local authorities in 2025-26.
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Q9 Direct Answer
Catherine Atkinson Lab
Derby North
Context
The taxi drivers in Derby are concerned about the lack of high standards across the board, which affects passenger safety.
I met taxi drivers in Derby, at a meeting organised by the GMB, who are proud of the work they do. They want high standards across the board; what actions is the Minister taking to review taxi licensing, so that everyone can have confidence that the taxi and private hire industry is reliable, sustainable, and safe for passengers and the drivers themselves?
I assure my hon. Friend that we are taking this issue very seriously. We are reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance, and we will hold those who do not follow that guidance to account. We will go further following the publication of Baroness Casey’s review, and we have committed to taking legislative action to close the loopholes in the current licensing regime to achieve higher standards of safety across the board.
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Q10 Partial Answer
Martin Wrigley LD
Newton Abbot
Context
The Dawlish sea wall collapsed in 2014, causing an estimated loss of £1.2 billion to the south-west’s economy.
The Dawlish sea wall collapsed in 2014, causing a devastating loss to the south-west’s economy of about £1.2 billion. It was not the break in the sea wall that closed the railway for eight weeks; it was the collapse of the cliffs. Will the Minister prioritise the project to secure those cliffs, which is yet to be carried out, or will she meet me? Perhaps she could even visit Dawlish to see how important this fix is going to be.
I know how important that rail line is to the people of the south-west, including the hon. Member’s constituents. We are working to determine which rail enhancement projects will be taken forward following the Chancellor’s spending review statement on 11 June. More information will be made available shortly, and I am sure that my colleague, the Rail Minister, will write to the hon. Member in due course.
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Q11 Direct Answer
Antonia Bance Lab
Tipton and Wednesbury
Context
A national report shows that in 2023, 96% of taxi licences were issued in one local authority—Wolverhampton.
Following the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson), last week the Casey review showed us yet again that private hire vehicles are a dangerous place for many children and young people. Nationally in 2023, 96% of taxi licences were issued in one local authority—Wolverhampton, one of my neighbouring local authorities—yet only 10% of the applicants lived there. What action is the Minister going to take to ensure local taxi licensing is done locally and to high standards?
Baroness Casey has rightly brought this issue into sharp focus, and as I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson), we are committed to addressing it. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options, including out-of-area working, national standards and enforcement, in seeking the best overall outcome for passenger safety.
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Q12 Direct Answer
Gregory Stafford Con
Farnham and Bordon
Context
The outline business case for improvements to the A31 at Hickley’s Corner in Farnham will be presented soon.
The Minister may be aware that the outline business case for improvements to the A31 at Hickley’s Corner in Farnham will come before her in a couple of months’ time. While I understand that she cannot make any promises now, will she at least agree to look kindly on that application and meet me to discuss it?
I look forward to seeing that business case when it comes forward, and I will of course be happy to discuss it with the hon. Member at the appropriate time.
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Q13 Direct Answer
Ruth Cadbury Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Context
A new report from the all-party parliamentary group for cycling and walking warns of the growing public safety risk posed by illegal, unsafe e-bikes.
A new report from the all-party parliamentary group for cycling and walking warns of the growing public safety risk posed by the widespread use of unsafe, illegally modified bikes, and the fire risk caused by their cheap but powerful batteries bought from online marketplaces. What assessment has the Minister—along with his colleagues in other Departments—made of the risks posed by those fake e-bikes?
I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for that question. I am studying the APPG’s report in detail. Illegal e-bikes are clearly dangerous and have no place on our roads. I would be happy to meet her to discuss it further.
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Q14 Direct Answer
Aphra Brandreth Con
Chester South and Eddisbury
Context
Paul, a constituent, cycles more than 1,000 km a month across the country.
My constituent Paul cycles more than 1,000 km a month all across the country, but he tells me that Cheshire’s roads are among the worst. Poor roads are dangerous for all road users, so does the Minister agree that national guidance for pothole repair policy must properly reflect the needs of cyclists alongside motorists? We must urgently improve road conditions for everyone.
I absolutely agree that the poor state of the roads that has been left to us after 14 years of under-investment poses a serious risk to cyclists. That is precisely why we have given that extra £500 million to councils across England, and it is precisely why we are holding them to account and asking them to follow good practice in roads maintenance.
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Q15 Direct Answer
Catherine Fookes Lab
Monmouthshire
Context
Welsh rail is receiving £445 million of investment over the next five years.
As the Secretary of State knows, I welcome the £445 million being invested in Welsh rail over the next five years, but will she help me to secure a meeting with the Rail Minister, so that we can discuss the need to start off building the Burns stations with the Magor and Undy station in Monmouthshire?
My hon. Friend has been a fearsome champion for this rail investment, and I am delighted that over the next 10 years we will be spending more than £445 million on rail enhancements in Wales. I will certainly help her to secure the meeting that she requests.
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