Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of enriched cages on laying hens.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.
The impact of enriched cages on laying hens is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving tests have been booked in Wiltshire in 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows how many car practical driving tests have been booked for test centres serving Wiltshire in 2025.
Driving Test Centre | Tests Booked (Net Demand) |
Chippenham | 7,737 |
Salisbury | 4,432 |
Swindon | 8,694 |
Trowbridge | 1,323 |
Total | 22,186 |
*Trowbridge is a taking the test to the customer site so may not be open every day.
Information on the number of approved driving instructors by postcode, including for Wiltshire is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-instructor-and-motorcycle-instructor-register-data
The table below shows the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times for a practical car driving test for test centres serving Wiltshire over the last ten years.
Driving Test Centre | Average Waiting time (weeks) | Longest Waiting time (weeks) |
Chippenham | 12.6 | 24 |
Salisbury | 10.7 | 24 |
Swindon | 13.2 | 24 |
Trowbridge | 14.5 | 24 |
*Trowbridge is a taking the test to the customer site so may not be open every day.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of approved driving instructors there are in Wiltshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows how many car practical driving tests have been booked for test centres serving Wiltshire in 2025.
Driving Test Centre | Tests Booked (Net Demand) |
Chippenham | 7,737 |
Salisbury | 4,432 |
Swindon | 8,694 |
Trowbridge | 1,323 |
Total | 22,186 |
*Trowbridge is a taking the test to the customer site so may not be open every day.
Information on the number of approved driving instructors by postcode, including for Wiltshire is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-instructor-and-motorcycle-instructor-register-data
The table below shows the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times for a practical car driving test for test centres serving Wiltshire over the last ten years.
Driving Test Centre | Average Waiting time (weeks) | Longest Waiting time (weeks) |
Chippenham | 12.6 | 24 |
Salisbury | 10.7 | 24 |
Swindon | 13.2 | 24 |
Trowbridge | 14.5 | 24 |
*Trowbridge is a taking the test to the customer site so may not be open every day.