Written questions by Glover.

What steps her Department is taking to provide adequate bus services to allow people to access early years education.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an estimate of the funding required by Network Rail for the control period 2029 to 2034 to recover the average asset age to 2015 levels across key asset categories.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of Network Rail's funding from 2024 to 2029 to prevent average asset deterioration of the railway network by maintaining the average asset (a) age and (b) percentage life used for key asset groups.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment they have made of the adequacy of the legal framework that pavement delivery robots operate within.

The Government does not have any involvement, and has not approved, any pavement delivery robot operations in the UK. The Government recognises that the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when parliamentary time allows.

What vehicle type are pavement delivery robots classified as in legislation.

The Government does not have any involvement, and has not approved, any pavement delivery robot operations in the UK. The Government recognises that the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when parliamentary time allows.

Whether her Department has assessed changes in average asset age and percentage asset life used across major railway infrastructure asset categories since 2015.

Awaiting answer.

How her department is contributing to assessments on local government reorganisation.

While the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the lead department on local government reorganisation, my department has provided input to them on transport impacts at both interim and final plan stages.

Whether her Department has approved the use of pavement delivery robots to operate in urban areas.

The Government does not have any involvement, and has not approved, any pavement delivery robot operations in the UK. The Government recognises that the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when parliamentary time allows.

Whether loss of revenue from user charges at the Dartford Crossings is accounted for in the Department's finances.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of delivery robots on wheelchair users and visually-impaired people.

The Government is aware pavement robots are being used in some towns around the country. We are committed to bringing forward legislation to ensure the safe and lawful use of micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows, and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill contains powers for local leaders to control where micromobility delivery vehicles can be used in future.Safety will remain our top priority whilst considering regulation for new technology, and any new regulations will be subject to public consultation and impact assessment, including on safety, wheelchair users and visually impaired people, before they come into force.

Whether a new Accounting Officer Assessment for the Lower Thames Crossing will be published.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Whether loss of revenue from user charges at the Dartford Crossings is accounted for in the Department's finances.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of delivery robots operating on pavements on public safety.

The Government is aware pavement robots are being used in some towns around the country. We are committed to bringing forward legislation to ensure the safe and lawful use of micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows, and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill contains powers for local leaders to control where micromobility delivery vehicles can be used in future.Safety will remain our top priority whilst considering regulation for new technology, and any new regulations will be subject to public consultation and impact assessment, including on safety, wheelchair users and visually impaired people, before they come into force.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of contrail-mitigation measures in reducing aviation's climate impact.

The Government recognises that aviation has non-CO2 impacts such as contrails which may have significant warming impacts on the climate, although significant scientific uncertainties remain. The Government has funded 14 projects as part of our Non-CO2 R&D Programme to better our understanding of aviation’s non-CO2 impacts and to identify and develop potential mitigation options. The Department also established a Contrail Impact Mitigation Task and Finish Group under the Jet Zero Taskforce which assessed the UK’s capability to undertake contrail avoidance manoeuvres as a means of reducing aviation’s non‑CO₂ climate impacts. The report highlighted that the atmospheric conditions in the North Atlantic make it prone to forming persistent warming contrails. The report was published on 17 March 2026 and one of the key recommendations from this report was for the UK to undertake large-scale trials in the North Atlantic. The Department is carefully considering all the recommendations and is currently exploring options to fund a large‑scale trial in UK controlled airspace.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of using the atmospheric and geographic features of the North Atlantic to support contrail-mitigation measures to reduce aviation's climate impact.

The Government recognises that aviation has non-CO2 impacts such as contrails which may have significant warming impacts on the climate, although significant scientific uncertainties remain. The Government has funded 14 projects as part of our Non-CO2 R&D Programme to better our understanding of aviation’s non-CO2 impacts and to identify and develop potential mitigation options. The Department also established a Contrail Impact Mitigation Task and Finish Group under the Jet Zero Taskforce which assessed the UK’s capability to undertake contrail avoidance manoeuvres as a means of reducing aviation’s non‑CO₂ climate impacts. The report highlighted that the atmospheric conditions in the North Atlantic make it prone to forming persistent warming contrails. The report was published on 17 March 2026 and one of the key recommendations from this report was for the UK to undertake large-scale trials in the North Atlantic. The Department is carefully considering all the recommendations and is currently exploring options to fund a large‑scale trial in UK controlled airspace.

Whether her Department has considered in what way the UK's operational responsibility for providing air traffic services in the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area could help support operational trials of contrail-mitigation routing.

The Government recognises that aviation has non-CO2 impacts such as contrails which may have significant warming impacts on the climate, although significant scientific uncertainties remain. The Government has funded 14 projects as part of our Non-CO2 R&D Programme to better our understanding of aviation’s non-CO2 impacts and to identify and develop potential mitigation options. The Department also established a Contrail Impact Mitigation Task and Finish Group under the Jet Zero Taskforce which assessed the UK’s capability to undertake contrail avoidance manoeuvres as a means of reducing aviation’s non‑CO₂ climate impacts. The report highlighted that the atmospheric conditions in the North Atlantic make it prone to forming persistent warming contrails. The report was published on 17 March 2026 and one of the key recommendations from this report was for the UK to undertake large-scale trials in the North Atlantic. The Department is carefully considering all the recommendations and is currently exploring options to fund a large‑scale trial in UK controlled airspace.

What the monthly average waiting time was for a car practical driving test at each driving test centre and zone for each month since April 2015.

The answers to Questions 6462 on 9 October 2024, and 89574 on 11 November 2025, provide data covering April 2015 to October 2025 respectively. The attached spreadsheet shows the monthly average waiting time for a car practical driving test at each driving test centre, and zone, for each month between November 2025, and February 2026. Please note, some driving test centres no longer conduct car tests or have closed. There are also some driving test centres that did not conduct car tests in some individual months.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of the car insurance taskforce’s recommendations on reducing premiums for consumers.

The cross-government taskforce on motor insurance was formed in October 2024, to fulfil the government’s commitment to tackling the soaring cost of motor insurance in the UK. The taskforce worked across government, bringing together departments and independent regulators to understand the complexities of the market and to agree a set of actions. Government departments and regulators are acting to address the broader factors that contribute to the cost of claims, such as vehicle theft and the cost of repairs. Though the taskforce has now concluded, the government will continue its work to deliver against the actions set out in the report.

What actions were taken as a result of the peer-to-peer car sharing roundtable, chaired by the Minister for Local Transport on 10th November 2025.

Following the November roundtable, the Department is actively considering the experiences shared by stakeholders along with the wider evidence base to develop appropriate measures to support the sector. This includes the role of local authorities in creating a positive environment for car sharing services in their local areas and how government can best support this.

With reference to the commitment made by the Minister for Roads and Buses in topical questions on 11 September 2025, col 1034, when she plans to reinstate the Car Clubs: Local authority toolkit, withdrawn on 15 May 2025.

The Department is considering how best to support local authorities in ensuring a supportive environment for car sharing services in their local areas and more information will follow in due course.