Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the level of waiting times for Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructor tests; and what steps she is taking to ensure trainees can complete the qualification process within the validity period of their theory test certificates.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold data on the current waiting time for an approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 or part 3 test at any of its test centres. ADI examiners are a national team and are not assigned to specific test centres.

There are currently 36 full time equivalent driving examiners employed by the DVSA who can conduct ADI part 2 and 3 tests. DVSA has ongoing training and recruitment with its next training course starting in May for six new driving examiners, with two further courses planned later in the year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help reduce the cost of living for working parents.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

It is our ambition that families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, improving the life chances for every child, and the work choices for every parent. The evidence is clear that high quality early education and childcare boosts child development, especially for the most disadvantaged children, and makes it easier for parents to work. Through our best start in life strategy, we are ensuring that families across the country can access affordable early education and childcare that supports them to achieve and thrive.

As the government builds a stronger economy with sustainable public finances, it is continuing to invest in the early years sector, supporting the successful delivery of the entitlements. In 2026/27, we are expecting to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24. The successful expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents is saving eligible families using their full entitlement an average of £8,000 per year.

National average funding rate increases continue to reflect forecast cost pressures on the early years sector, including the National Living Wage announced at Autumn Budget 2025, and go further, taking into account the wider workforce pressures felt by the sector since April 2025.

We want to look at how we can make government support simpler for providers and parents, improve access and increase the overall impact for children and families. We will work across government to look at how early education and childcare support provided by government works for families and children. We will be driving take up of the 15-hour entitlements to ensure that disadvantaged children are benefiting, holding local authorities to account for their take up through the Local Government Outcomes Framework to ensure those children and households that stand to benefit the most do so.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Department’s policy is on reviewing whistleblowing reports where the individual concerned does not wish to disclose their identity.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is committed to encouraging individuals to speak up and raise concerns where they believe wrongdoing has occurred or behaviour falls below expected standards.

Individuals are encouraged to disclose their identity and/or contact details to support appropriate safeguarding, assessment and investigation. However, a decision not to disclose identity or contact details does not prevent a concern from being assessed. Information relating to such cases is handled in accordance with confidentiality requirements and the Department will investigate the concern as far as is possible based on the information available.

100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough

Mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence law

Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners

Found: Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Dave Doogan; Lillian Jones; Mr Angus MacDonald; Douglas McAllister