Written questions by Buckley.

How the Railways Bill will ensure that access rights to the network are fair, transparent and enforceable, particularly where Great British Rail will both manage infrastructure and operate services.

The new access framework within the Railways Bill will ensure that GBR will determine the best use of the network capacity for all operators in accordance with its statutory duties. New legislation will include key safeguards for third party operators, ensuring that GBR’s decisions on network access are fair and transparent with a strong route of appeal to the ORR. GBR will be required to design and consult with industry on its access and use policy which will set out the processes and criteria on how it will take access and capacity allocation decisions, and on which the ORR will be a statutory consultee.

Whether the Railways Bill will set out the duties of the Great British Railways.

The Railways Bill includes a range of duties which will apply across the activities of GBR. Clause 18 sets the general duties which will apply to GBR, the ORR, the Secretary of State for Transport, and Scottish and Welsh Ministers. The general duties include promoting the interests of passengers, and promoting high standards of rail service performance. They set the foundation for how GBR will operate, guided by the public interest, and empowered to deliver a railway that works for its users, taxpayers and the wider public.The Government has published a collection of fact sheets relating to the Railways Bill which can be found on the Gov.uk website. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/railways-bill

When she plans to lay secondary legislation enabling local authorities outside London to enforce against pavement parking.

We will lay secondary legislation later in 2026 to give local authorities powers to issue Penalty Charge Notices for vehicles parked in a way that unnecessarily obstructs the pavement.At the next opportunity we will then introduce the necessary primary legislation to make powers available on an opt-in basis to Local Transport Authorities to prohibit pavement parking across their whole area. They will also have powers to exempt locations where pavement parking would still be necessary to maintain traffic flow, such as in narrow streets. Where there is no Strategic Authority, Unitary Authorities and County Councils would also have the choice to opt in.

What consideration has been given to allowing appointees to use the Access to Work online portal.

The Access to Work online portal has been designed to ensure that customers can manage their own claims securely and efficiently, following identity verification to protect personal information and prevent fraud. At present, the service does not include functionality for appointees to submit claims on behalf of customers. This is because the portal relies on individual identity verification to maintain the security and integrity of the process. However, we continue to provide a paper-based route for appointees to ensure that support remains available for those who need it.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Hospital Transformation Programme on the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Thank you to my hon. friend for championing this important Programme, which is delivering £312 million of investment in local services.The construction of a new four-storey building at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will mean a bigger, improved emergency department with faster access for patients to the right care and with improved staff experience.

Whether she plans to make any changes to the existing 5+1 route to Indefinite Leave to Remain for individuals already on the Hong Kong BN(O) visa route.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years' residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.The new mandatory requirements for settlement, including the English language requirement, are basic requirements that we think are reasonable for people to meet if they want to settle here. However, we are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

Whether individuals on the Hong Kong BN(O) visa route will have to meet B2 standard of English in order to achieve Indefinite Leave to Remain.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years' residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.The new mandatory requirements for settlement, including the English language requirement, are basic requirements that we think are reasonable for people to meet if they want to settle here. However, we are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of National Highways' work to improve road safety on the A5 and A458.

The Department for Transport has not conducted a specific assessment of the adequacy of National Highways' work to improve road safety on the English sections of the A5 and A458. The Department assesses safety across the Strategic Road Network which includes motorways and major A-roads managed by National Highways using a combination of data-driven analysis, risk-based assessments, and post-project evaluations.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the delays in decisions on Disability Living Allowance claims.

We have seen unprecedented demand in new claims to the DLA Child service line. Additional resources have been deployed, and cases are cleared in date order to ensure fair customer service. As a result, we are seeing improvements in our processing times for new claims. As of the 30th December 2024, The Actual Average Clearance Time was 97.8 days and has since reduced to 57.3 days as of 25th of August 2025, a reduction of 40.5 days.

What recent assessment she has made of the processing times of (a) applications for and (b) mandatory reconsiderations of Disability Living Allowance.

From April 2025 to August 2025, the actual average clearance times (AACT) for new Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claims is 77 days. Over the same period, the AACT for DLA Mandatory Reconsiderations (MR) is 125 days. These figures are averages, and are for child DLA claims only, as new claims for DLA are only open to children under the age of 16.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the provision of healthy food options in hospital vending machines.

National Health Service hospitals are required to meet the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services through the NHS Standard Contract. They are also required to develop and maintain a food and drink strategy which focuses on healthier eating across the whole hospital community, including for their vending machines.

Whether his Department has considered the potential merits of applying the same land access arrangements for distribution network operators as currently apply for other utilities.

DESNZ published a consultation on consents, land access and rights for electricity network infrastructure on 8 July. It sets out a package of reforms intended to reduce delays to essential works and support the upgrade and maintenance of electricity infrastructure. The proposals include clarifying access rights for both distribution and transmission operators, ensuring they have appropriate powers to access land, including adjacent third-party land, and aligning rights for distribution network operators to install infrastructure in private streets with other utilities, such as telecoms.

Whether her Department plans to increase police powers to help tackle anti-social behaviour linked to drone use.

There are a range of existing powers to tackle anti-social drone behaviour, this includes the police powers under the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 to require a person to land a drone and to carry out stop and search for certain drone-related offences; and under the Air Navigation Order 2016, it is an offence to endanger an aircraft through non-compliant drone use, punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment. We work closely with the police and home office to keep the need for powers under review, and from 1 January 2026, Direct Remote ID requirements will come into force for some types of drones (UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5 and UK6 UAS), enabling the police to access location information during flight to support more effective enforcement and deterrence. Remote ID will also increase operator accountability by allowing the unique ID of a drone to be reported and linked to a registered individual, supporting police investigations into misuse.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending National Insurance Contributions relief to town or parish councils that undertake functions typically carried out by principal authorities.

The government recognises the important role town and parish councils have in improving the quality of life and wellbeing of their communities but has no direct role in funding parish and town councils, and therefore has not provided compensation for the increase in the rate of employer’s National Insurance Contributions, consistent with the approach taken by the previous government. We recognise that the increase in the rate of employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will lead to increased costs for some parish councils, which may require them to increase their precept. We recognise that decisions to increase precepts are not taken lightly by parish councils.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including cycle training in the national curriculum.

Schools are best placed and have the flexibility to decide on the activities they provide to deliver a rounded and enriching education to suit their pupils’ needs. This includes cycling training programmes such as Bikeability. Physical education (PE) is a foundation subject in the national curriculum and compulsory at all four key stages.The department welcomes the opportunity for continued collaboration with Bikeability to create sustainable improvements in physical activity for young people, including through active travel and promoting the overall wellbeing benefits of physical activity, such as through cycling.

What data her Department collects on how children travel to school.

The National Travel Survey, conducted by the Department for Transport, includes data about how children travel to school and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/nts03-modal-comparisons.In February 2025, the department launched a data collection about the home to school travel arrangements local authorities make for eligible children. We are currently analysing the data. Information about home to school travel for eligible children is available in the statutory guidance for local authorities, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance.

Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to adopt national (a) standards, (b) timescales and (c) charges for (i) roads on new housing estates and (ii) other public amenities.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November (HCWS244).

Whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of aligning building regulations in England with those in Wales.

I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of matters. I also recently met with the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant MS, to discuss the Welsh Government’s plans for legislation on building safety in Wales. Although buildings policy is a devolved matter, officials at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Building Safety Regulator and the Welsh Government maintain close working relationships. Representatives from all devolved nations attend the Building Advisory Committee Working Group on Fire Safety, which provides an authoritative view to the Building Safety Regulator how the functional requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations are implemented.

What her planned timescales are for considering local bus service improvement plans.

Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) are developed by Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and set out the vision, objectives and delivery plans of LTAs and their partners to drive improvements to local bus services. While the government expects BSIPs to be published and readily accessible to all, they remain under the full control of local leaders and the Department no longer reviews the BSIPs before approving funding allocations.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of GP appointments.

The Government is determined to fix the front door of our National Health Service, making it easier for everyone to see a general practitioner (GP) when they need to.In October 2024, we injected £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England, which will increase the number of appointments delivered and care for thousands of patients.We’ve just delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an £889 million uplift, with GPs now receiving a growing share of NHS resources. For the first time in four years, the General Practitioners Committee England backed the new 2025/26 contract, which includes key reforms to improve access, for instance by making sure that patients can request appointments online throughout core hours.