Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
9 September 2026
2 contributions
Conversion Therapy
On 25 June, the Government published their draft conversion practices Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. Parliament is in the process of appointing the Joint Committee that will review the draft provisions. I understand that the Committee aims to report by 22 January, and I look forward to working w…
Let me be clear: this Government are committed to protecting the dignity and safety of trans people. That is why we are introducing a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, per our manifesto. I would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss his further queries in person.
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
14 contributions
Topical Questions
We are investing over £7 billion to banish the potholes from UK roads. I would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss his specific circumstances.
National Highways and local authorities are working together through initiatives, such as the £165 million growth and housing accelerator fund, to unlock housing sites where transport infrastructure is a barrier. I will ask National Highways to reach out to my hon. Friend.
+12 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
3 contributions
Road Repairs: New Technology
The Government are providing local authorities with a record £7.3 billion investment in local road maintenance, giving councils the long-term certainty that they need to fix potholes, repair road defects and adopt a more preventive approach to maintenance. Some of the funding is being used to incent…
That is exactly why the Government have funded the £30 million for Live Labs 2. We want councils to have access to the best available evidence on the condition of their roads. We have introduced a new road conditioning monitoring standard that enables local authorities to use a range of approved tec…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
2 contributions
Bus Manufacturing: Scotland
The Government want a vibrant and competitive UK bus manufacturing sector, including in Scotland. That is why we are providing £73.2 million to support the purchase of a further 484 zero emission vehicles, and working with the industry and local leaders to provide greater certainty through our long-…
I share my hon. Friend’s commitment to UK bus manufacturing. I am delighted that through the UK bus manufacturing expert panel, mayoral combined authorities have agreed to a commitment that 10% of social value criteria will apply in all future bus procurement exercises. That means that when procurin…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
3 contributions
Bus Travel Affordability: Children and Young People
The Government know how important affordable bus travel is for helping children and young people to access opportunities. That is why we are funding free bus travel for kids across England this August; it will help families to get out and about for less during the summer holidays. That builds on loc…
My hon. Friend is right that transport has a vital role to play in unlocking opportunities for young people, as I know from growing up in a coastal community. Through the Bus Services Act 2025, we are giving local leaders greater power to shape bus services around their local needs, including in coa…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
2 contributions
Bus Services: Hampshire
We have confirmed £45 million of funding for Hampshire county council to support and improve bus services for the next three years through the local authority bus grant. New powers provided by the Bus Services Act 2025 also give local leaders the tools and the long-term funding certainty they need t…
The Bus Services Act empowers local leaders to choose the model that works best in their area. Our reforms are focused on giving local authorities the tools they need to deliver better bus services. The Act also has a measure on socially necessary local services. Under that new measure, local transp…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
3 contributions
Bus Services
This Government are determined to deliver better bus services. We are working closely with local leaders across England, and have confirmed over £3 billion of funding over the next three years to support and improve services. Alongside the new powers delivered by the Bus Services Act 2025, local aut…
I will of course join my hon. Friend in commending the Mayor of London for the work that he is doing to keep the people who power our transport system safe. A well-functioning transport system is integral to growth. While we continue to decarbonise the transport system, we must also ensure that it i…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
16 July 2026
2 contributions
Transport Connectivity: Runcorn and Helsby
We are empowering local leaders with unprecedented powers and funding to deliver the transport improvements that will best connect their communities. We have allocated £1 billion of local transport funding to the Liverpool city region, and £420 million to Cheshire and Warrington. Thanks to this fund…
The hon. Lady and I met in October to discuss the tolls on the Mersey Gateway. As she is aware, these charges are the responsibility of Halton borough council. Thanks to funding already provided by the Department, residents of Halton can register a vehicle to use the crossings for personal journeys,…
Commons
Debate
15 July 2026
5 contributions
A1: North Northumberland
It is a pleasure to be here once again with you in the Chair, Madam Deputy Speaker, to answer tonight’s Adjournment debate. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) on securing the debate, and on the determined and constructive manner in which he has represente…
As a sand dancer—as someone from South Shields—I understand where the north is and the north-east is, but I hear my hon. Friend’s concerns about road safety, which is why National Highways is undertaking this work to see what additionally can be done to mitigate any safety concerns. I reiterate that…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 July 2026
2 contributions
Government Support for Bus Services: West Dorset
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. I congratulate the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) on securing this important debate. He has been a committed champion of bus services and transport needs in his constituency, and I thank him for the constructive tone with which…
That will be a commercial decision for First Bus about whether to invest in those services. The option remains for local leaders to consider whether they want to pursue franchising and take greater control over that issue. They could also lift the ban on establishing new municipal bus companies. The…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
11 June 2026
5 contributions
Topical Questions
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is continuing driving examiner recruitment, with 1,577 full-time driving examiners in May 2026—an increase of 147 compared with May 2025, when there were 1,430 full-time equivalents.
I, too, want to see more cycling in London, and in towns and cities across the UK. Dockless cycles are one way to support that aim. We want to empower local leaders to shape shared cycle schemes so that they can deliver the greatest possible benefits and mitigate any possible issues. We will introdu…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
11 June 2026
2 contributions
Transport Services: Epping Forest
London’s Labour mayor is using part of the £2.2 billion settlement provided by the Government in the spending review to make Central line upgrades and refurbishments that will benefit the hon. Member’s constituents. Essex county council and London boroughs will also receive over £500 million to main…
The Government are investing over £2 billion in London’s transport network, which is the largest Government investment in London’s existing transport network for over a decade. That means that London can invest £500 million in the Central line improvement programme to upgrade signalling and refurbis…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
11 June 2026
2 contributions
Bus Services
This Government passed the Bus Services Act 2025 to give local leaders greater control over their bus services, and we are supporting local transport authorities with over £3 billion of funding over the next three years to make the improvements a reality. We are also providing support and guidance o…
We recognise how important affordable bus fares are, which is why we have extended the £3 bus fare cap in England until March 2027. We are evaluating the impact of the scheme, including on passengers and value for money, to inform decisions on the future bus fare policy. Alongside the cap, this Augu…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
11 June 2026
2 contributions
Road Investment Strategy 3: Reducing Danger
Safety is at the heart of the third road investment strategy, which includes a new national programme to deliver targeted safety improvements on higher-risk roads. It also sets National Highways a challenging target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our motorways and majo…
Motorways are already among the safest roads in the country. The number of KSIs on motorways in 2024 represented 3% of the total for England, despite motorways carrying over a fifth of all road traffic. The target reflects that. The approach is challenging but realistic, focused on what National Hig…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
11 June 2026
3 contributions
Buses: Tariff Harmonisation
Following the UK bus manufacturing expert panel meeting in March, my officials and I continue to engage with our counterparts across Government—including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his team, who are responsible for UK Government tariff policy—on support fo…
I regularly raise issues affecting the bus sector with the Department for Business and Trade and will continue to do so. I will raise the specific point my hon. Friend makes with the relevant Minister and write to him following that conversation.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Statutory Instrument
10 June 2026
4 contributions
Draft Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Wishart. The draft regulations make two amendments to the Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England)…
At this time, the Government have no plans to introduce further clean air zones to additional cities. Our focus is to work with local authorities to support them in meeting their legally binding obligations to improve air quality in their localities.
Let me be clear that these clean air zones are w…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
23 April 2026
3 contributions
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
indicated assent .
I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to this debate on the reform of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. I appreciate the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade) securing the debate and the Backbench Business Committee facilitating it.
The DVLA touches almost every hou…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 April 2026
2 contributions
Hammersmith Bridge
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Alec. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Fleur Anderson) on securing the debate. I also thank the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney) and my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith and Chiswick (Andy Slaughter), who I have…
I have felt strangely popular all of a sudden, since last week’s announcement opening the fund to applications from councils across England, which can apply for funding to repair or replace key transport structures that are failing, and that they cannot afford to fix alone. That is part of a £1 bill…
Commons
Debate
14 April 2026
3 contributions
Dualling of the A21
I am grateful to the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle (Dr Mullan) for securing this important debate and for his continued advocacy alongside the work of the A21 reference group on what I know is an important issue for the communities they represent. I welcome the opportunity this evening to set o…
This is not to say that dualling will never happen, and it is entirely right for the hon. Member and other hon. Members to continue to advocate and build the case for such major improvements. Where there is strong cross-party support from across the region, that sends a clear signal for potential fu…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
26 March 2026
3 contributions
Topical Questions
I agree with my hon. Friend. We have ambitious plans in England, and a record £7.3 billion investment and clear standards to ensure that councils fix roads properly for the long term. Only Scottish Labour has a plan to build on this approach and to end the pothole plague north of the border.
I thank my hon. Friend for her question. This sounds like a scheme that could benefit from the structures fund.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
26 March 2026
3 contributions
Pothole Repairs: Strategic Road Network
National Highways targets the most serious potholes for repair within 24 hours. Under the new road investment strategy, published today, it must keep 96.2% of road surfaces in good condition and resurface around a quarter of its network over the next five years. In addition to National Highways’ wor…
It is not acceptable for this Reform-led council to refuse to provide basic information to my hon. Friend’s constituents. As I mentioned earlier, 25% of Reform-led councils have been rated red—the lowest rating. It will not surprise my hon. Friend to hear that Labour councils have come out on top. I…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
26 March 2026
2 contributions
A14 Environmental Mitigation: Huntingdon
National Highways has assessed the status of the land and is taking steps to improve its condition, including replanting substantial numbers of trees, protecting ecological sites and creating new wildlife habitats.
On the specific topic of trees, it is an absolute scandal that something like 600,000 trees died as part of the previous Government’s road schemes—some 90% of the trees died at that particular scheme—but of course I will be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the individual issues that he ra…
Commons
Oral Questions
26 March 2026
6 contributions
Pothole Repairs: Government Funding
This Labour Government are providing £7.3 billion for highways maintenance over four years, doubling the funding provided by the previous Government by the end of this Parliament. Our long-term funding approach is already reaping results, with 15% more pothole prevention works carried out in 2025 co…
I am afraid that I do not recognise the hon. Gentleman’s numbers. Capital funding for highways maintenance has not been cut in Wokingham. Wokingham borough council is eligible to receive £28.9 million over the next four years as part of the £7.3 billion investment. That represents a clear year-on-ye…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
26 March 2026
5 contributions
Driving Test Waiting Times
I know that driving test waiting times remain too high, but there are signs that we are starting to turn the corner thanks to the action that we have taken since coming into government. We are increasing examiner capacity, improving booking rules and using Ministry of Defence examiners to provide ad…
This Government will continue to do all we can to drive down the waiting times, and of course, we will always keep the affordability of driving tests under review.
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 March 2026
Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme
It is a pleasure as always to see you in the Chair, Dr Huq. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing this important debate, and I recognise her tireless advocacy on behalf of her constituents and rail passengers across the region. I also thank my hon. …