Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to allow local authorities to sell spare seats on school-only transport services without triggering full Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations compliance requirements.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government strongly supports the aims of PSVAR and breaking down the barriers to opportunity. We believe that children and young people should be able to choose to travel to and from school with their classmates if they wish to. However, progress with PSVAR compliance has been slower than hoped in respect of home-to-school services.
Closed door home-to-school services serve pupils whose needs are known in advance. Many disabled pupils also either attend specialist education settings or are provided with door-to-door transport and would struggle to access mainstream services even if they were PSVAR compliant.
As current exemptions were due to cease in July 2026, and following careful consideration, I decided to introduce new four-year special authorisations for paid for, closed door home-to-school services.
On 5 June I wrote to the coach sector informing them of this decision noting that as with the current Medium-Term-Exemptions (MTE’s), exemptions will be offered subject to operators meeting specific conditions which will be laid out in full when eligible operators are invited to apply. The conditions, which place the needs of disabled children and young people at the core, include maintaining a minimum number of PSVAR compliant coaches and providing a compliant coach on request at no extra cost.
The sale of spare seats on school-only services is a matter for local authorities.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of East Midlands Railways trains from a) Sheffield to London and b) London to Sheffield have been i) on time, ii) less than fifteen minutes late, iii) 15-30 minutes late, iv) 30-59 minutes late, v) over 59 minutes late and vi) cancelled in each year between 2022 and 2026.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The tables below show the proportion of East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) trains from:
a) Sheffield to London trains that were i) on time, ii) less than fifteen minutes late, iii) 15-30 minutes late, iv) 30-59 minutes late, v) over 59 minutes late and vi) cancelled in each year between 2022 and 2026; and
b) London to Sheffield have been i) on time, ii) less than fifteen minutes late, iii) 15-30 minutes late, iv) 30-59 minutes late, v) over 59 minutes late and vi) cancelled in each year between 2022 and 2026.
(2026 has not been included as we do not have the comparable full year data)
From Sheffield
Year | On Time | <15 Late | 15-30 | 30-59 | >59 | Cancelled |
2022 | 40.4% | 90.8% | 7.4% | 1.4% | 0.4% | 2.5% |
2023 | 43.2% | 90.2% | 8.4% | 1.2% | 0.2% | 2.9% |
2024 | 38.1% | 88.5% | 9.3% | 1.8% | 0.3% | 2.6% |
2025 | 39.9% | 88.1% | 9.8% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 2.9% |
From London
Year | On Time | <15 Late | 15-30 | 30-59 | >59 | Cancelled |
2022 | 31.0% | 89.7% | 8.4% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 2.4% |
2023 | 29.1% | 88.7% | 9.9% | 1.3% | 0.1% | 2.6% |
2024 | 25.2% | 87.6% | 10.4% | 1.7% | 0.2% | 2.5% |
2025 | 30.2% | 89.5% | 8.7% | 1.5% | 0.2% | 2.9% |
Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) is available as part of the continuation of SEND support where a child cannot be educated in school.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s consultation, “SEND reform: putting children and young people first”, proposes the introduction of Specialist Provision Packages for all children and young people with complex needs, including those children and young people whose needs are currently met through Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) packages of support.
After a 12-week consultation period, including over 200 engagement events, meetings and roundtables, the department’s consultation has now closed. We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation and continuing to engage widely on our proposals.
As part of that continued engagement, we intend to publish a consultation on the use of EOTAS provision in the coming weeks. It is crucial that we get support for EOTAS children and young people right, particularly given their often complex needs. This consultation will seek views to ensure we meet those specific needs, and that these children and young people benefit from the inclusive education we want for all.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Class 357 trains c2c has upgraded since 17 December 2025; and whether the full fleet upgrade will be completed by December 2026.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A total of 20 trains (80 vehicles) have been painted to date since the 17 December 2025. The current programme is scheduled to conclude in December 2026, with 26 trains (104 vehicles) still outstanding.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK businesses do not benefit from child labour in Bangladesh.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to ending child labour globally, including in Bangladesh, and to ensuring UK businesses do not benefit from it.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works with partners to engage businesses and investors to raise awareness of child labour risks in supply chains. This year, we have supported the Child Rights Action Hub in Bangladesh to reduce risks in informal, lower-tier supply chains. The Hub has trained 35 Child Rights Focal Points to identify child labour risks and strengthen community-based referral pathways. It has also engaged major textile industry associations to increase visibility of child labour risks in ready-made garment supply chains and promote sector-led action.
The FCDO's Asia Regional Child Labour Programme, our largest programme on child labour, supported interventions to reduce the vulnerability of children to exploitation across South Asia, including Bangladesh.
We will continue to work with international partners to accelerate progress towards ending child labour in line with Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the interventions available to unreleased prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment for public protection differ from those available to other prisoners serving such sentences.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
There are a range of interventions aimed at reducing reoffending and aiding resettlement into the community. These are allocated on an individual basis. Those working with prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) will identify what interventions or services will be most suitable, based on the presenting need.
A small number of initiatives are designed specifically, or primarily, for IPP prisoners. These are not necessarily formal interventions, but they provide holistic, therapeutic services and unit-based approaches, aimed at increasing hope and reducing feelings of dejection, in order to increase insight, and improve relationships and engagement. Examples include the progression regimes currently in four prisons across the estate, and the Midlands Therapeutic Service.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy, what steps she is making to update guidance on (a) local speed limits and (b) speed camera use.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
My Department is planning to hold an initial workshop later this month, which will serve as an opportunity to begin shaping the direction of the programme. During this session, DfT officials will engage with a range of stakeholders and representatives from local authorities, providing a platform for participants to share their perspectives, highlight key concerns, and contribute local knowledge and experience.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy, what steps she has taken to implement the Perceptual Rider Information for Maximising Expertise and Enjoyment pilot trials in new regions.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport has supported all local authorities that have asked for help with Perceptual Rider Information for Maximising Expertise and Enjoyment (PRIME) trials. The Department remains open to further involvement and will continue to consider applications on a rolling basis, assessing each request as it is received and working with Local Authorities to determine how best to provide appropriate support.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for carers receiving Carer's Allowance who wish to enter employment.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Through our Jobcentres, DWP supports unpaid carers who wish to combine their caring responsibilities with paid work. Full time carers who receive Universal Credit can access voluntary employment support from a work coach, which includes identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support and volunteering opportunities. Customers who receive Carer’s Allowance may be also eligible for the Flexible Support Fund, which helps to remove financial barriers to work.
In England and Wales, carers, whether they are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or not, and former carers, are eligible for intensive, personalised support from our voluntary Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work, part of the Government’s Pathways to Work support offer. This programme provides up to 12 months holistic support for disabled people, individuals with health conditions and people with more complex barriers to work to help them move closer to, and into, sustained employment. It can also provide up to 4 months’ support to people who are in work but at risk of falling out of employment as a result of their condition or barrier.
In Northern Ireland, services are run by the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the UK's priorities are for this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working closely with Commonwealth partners to ensure this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda addresses the challenges of today's world, in particular delivering increased intra-Commonwealth trade, investment and economic security, strengthening the Commonwealth's commitment to democracy, and deepening collaboration on protecting the environment.
We will set out our priorities for other future international meetings in the usual way in due course, including next year's G20 summit.