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Written Question
Electronic Travel Authorisations: Dual Nationality
Friday 27th February 2026

Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of alternative arrangements for British dual nationals travelling to the UK who do not hold a British (a) passport and (b) certificate of entitlement but are unable to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation as British citizens.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

British citizens seeking to enter the UK may only evidence their right of abode in the UK at the border with a valid British passport, or other passport endorsed with a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode. On 26 February 2026, certificates of entitlement transitioned from physical vignettes in passports to digital records. There are no plans to make alternative arrangements at this time.

Written Question
Large Goods Vehicles: Driving Tests
Wednesday 25th February 2026

Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of HGV testing capacity provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in Southampton; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of examiner shortages on (a) vocational test volumes, (b) driver recruitment pipelines and (c) supply chain resilience in major port cities; and what steps she is taking to increase HGV testing capacity in those areas.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to ensuring there are sufficient vocational driving tests to meet demand from the HGV and PSV training sector across the country, including in major port cities. In 2024/25, the national average waiting time for a vocational practical test was 4.9 weeks.

Whilst DVSA is continuing to deploy examiner resource to vocational testing, it needs to ensure this is done in a way which balances all of the demands on DVSA’s examiner resource.

DVSA business account managers are working closely with training providers to understand when and where large goods vehicle tests are required and if there is likely to be any peaks in demand.

There are several vocational test sites that serve customers in Southampton, and currently there are not any known delays in test availability for these sites. The vocational testing waiting time in the DVSA regional zone in which Southampton is situated, is currently 2.6 weeks. The national average, as of 9 February, is 3.9 weeks.

Division Vote (Commons)
24 Feb 2026 - Online Harm: Child Protection - View Vote Context
Darren Paffey (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 272 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 69 Noes - 279
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 Feb 2026
Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving

"I thank my right hon. Friend for a statement that not only tries to fix the deep cracks that have formed in this broken system in recent years, but sets out a wholesale vision for transforming it. This is long overdue and much needed by parents, students and teachers. She …..."
Darren Paffey - View Speech

View all Darren Paffey (Lab - Southampton Itchen) contributions to the debate on: Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 Feb 2026
Oral Answers to Questions

"18. What progress his Department has made on reforming the Building Safety Regulator. ..."
Darren Paffey - View Speech

View all Darren Paffey (Lab - Southampton Itchen) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 Feb 2026
Oral Answers to Questions

"Tomorrow marks one year since the residents of Sundowner Court in Southampton were forced to leave their home because of serious fire safety defects. Two neighbouring blocks followed suit soon after, and no one expects to be back in their home for at least another year. The Government rightly prioritised …..."
Darren Paffey - View Speech

View all Darren Paffey (Lab - Southampton Itchen) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Feb 2026 - Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill - View Vote Context
Darren Paffey (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 284 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 73 Noes - 286
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Feb 2026 - Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill - View Vote Context
Darren Paffey (Lab) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 282 Labour Aye votes vs 0 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 361 Noes - 84
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Feb 2026 - Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill - View Vote Context
Darren Paffey (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 276 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 77 Noes - 280
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Feb 2026 - Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill - View Vote Context
Darren Paffey (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 271 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 156 Noes - 273