Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take fiscal steps to prevent the sale of high-strength ciders at low prices in supermarkets; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of preventing those sales on levels of alcohol harm.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. As part of this, the Government is considering carefully what further action is needed to address alcohol-related harms.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced an increase in alcohol duty in line with inflation on all non-draught products, alongside a cut in duty rates for lower strength products sold on draught. This decision balanced cost-of-living pressures on people who drink moderately and responsibly with the need to tackle increasing alcohol-related deaths and economic inactivity.

Reforms to alcohol duty made in 2023 increased duty on cider over 4.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). Further, duty on cider now increases with product strength, such that the production and sale of lower strength cider is incentivised within the duty system.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of driving tests in Stockport.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across the country.

As acknowledged in the announcement regarding these measures, DVSA understands the potential impact high waiting times have on learner drivers and the importance of helping learners pass quickly.

Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.

The table below shows the average waiting time for a car practical driving test in May 2025, at centres that serve customers in Stockport.

From recruitment campaigns, one potential new driving examiner (DE) will be starting their training course on 23 June for West Didsbury. A further potential new DE for Sale will start their course on 25 August. DVSA has made three further offers, with applicants scheduled for courses in the late summer/early autumn. The latest recruitment campaign has yielded nine recruitment drives for the cluster, all of which will be completed by 14 June.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a standalone offense of assaulting a retail worker that includes (a) bank and (b) building society workers.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, including public-facing roles in banks and building societies.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has also introduced a specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years, and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Found: On 11 June 2025, in response to a written parliamentary question by Navendu Mishra (Lab), Hamish Falconer