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Written Question
Department for Transport: Catering
Friday 24th October 2025

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department is made by a British manufacturer.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has management responsibility for on-site canteens / restaurants at the London headquarters building and at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) offices in Swansea.

Crockery and tableware at the DfT London headquarters buildings has been sourced over a number of years from various suppliers within the UK, however, full information about the country of manufacture is not available.

The crockery used at the DVLA office is manufactured at a factory in Stoke-on-Trent. The tableware at this site has been in use over several years and it is not possible to get an accurate figure on what was made by a British manufacturer.


Written Question
Railways: Allergies
Thursday 27th February 2025

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many anaphylaxis incidents on the rail network were recorded by Network Rail over the last 10 years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Network Rail do not record this information centrally.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 11 Apr 2019
East Midlands Rail Franchise

"The Minister will know that Abellio runs part of the London Northwestern Railway, which replaced London Midland. It is now reducing its timetable arrangements, so what comfort can my constituents in Stoke-on-Trent have that the east midlands train franchise, whose services run all the way from Nottingham to Crewe through …..."
Gareth Snell - View Speech

View all Gareth Snell (LAB - Stoke-on-Trent Central) contributions to the debate on: East Midlands Rail Franchise

Written Question
Bus Services: Stoke on Trent
Monday 25th February 2019

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence he has had with Stoke-on-Trent City Council on the potential for bus franchising within that city; and whether he will place copies of that correspondence in the Library.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.

We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.

Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.

We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694428/bus-services-act-2017-franchising-guidance.pdf)


Written Question
Bus Services: Franchises
Monday 25th February 2019

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities that are not part of Mayoral Combined Authority areas, run franchised bus services under the Bus Services Act 2017.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.

We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.

Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.

We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694428/bus-services-act-2017-franchising-guidance.pdf)


Written Question
Bus Services: Franchises
Monday 25th February 2019

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which local authorities have submitted proposals for franchising services to his Department under the provisions of the Bus Services Act 2017.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.

We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.

Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.

We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694428/bus-services-act-2017-franchising-guidance.pdf)


Written Question
Bus Services: Franchises
Monday 25th February 2019

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria his Department uses to assess the (a) capacity, (b) track-record and (c) economic geography of a local authority to undertake bus franchising; and whether Stoke-on-Trent City Council has complied with that criteria.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The Bus Services Act 2017 (BSA) introduces new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools to improve bus services. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.

We have had no formal requests or correspondence on the potential for bus franchising within the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Ministers and officials meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss a range of issues.

Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCA) have automatic access to new powers to franchise local bus services. No local authority which is not part of an MCA currently runs a franchise under the BSA.

We set out criteria for assessing proposals in our guidance, available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694428/bus-services-act-2017-franchising-guidance.pdf)


Written Question
Department for Transport: Pay
Friday 25th January 2019

Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the rate of remuneration for (a) cleaners, (b) security guards and (c) catering staff in his Department in (i) Greater London and (ii) outside Greater London.

Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

The Department for Transport does not hold remuneration rates for cleaners, catering staff and security guards as these services are provided through a Total Facilities Management (TFM) contract, which has a fixed single monthly payment covering all services. Under that TFM contract all staff employed by the service provider are paid at least the National Minimum Wage.


Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 28 Nov 2018
Rail Services: North Staffordshire

"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir David. In view of the time, I shall try to run through my comments at relatively high speed. Without wishing to repeat comments made by my hon. Friends and colleagues this afternoon, I want to reiterate three points of particular …..."
Gareth Snell - View Speech

View all Gareth Snell (LAB - Stoke-on-Trent Central) contributions to the debate on: Rail Services: North Staffordshire

Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 28 Nov 2018
Rail Services: North Staffordshire

"I was concluding my remarks by inviting anybody who is on their way to Stoke-on-Trent on a train to stop at the new bod, the establishment that has been put together on the station by Titanic Brewery, replacing the first-class lounge. They have made the station safer by doing that, …..."
Gareth Snell - View Speech

View all Gareth Snell (LAB - Stoke-on-Trent Central) contributions to the debate on: Rail Services: North Staffordshire