Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2026 to Question 123626 on Aviation: Crew, if she will provide the number of commercial airline pilots registered with the Civil Aviation Authority who (a) reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 in each of the past five calendar years and (b) will reach the mandatory retirement age of 65 in each of the next 10 calendar years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The data below accounts for all relevant commercial licence types and relates to pilots who reached the age of 65 during the relevant report year and held a valid commercial licence and valid medical certificate as of 1 January of that year.
Date | Number of Pilots aged 65 |
1st January 2022 | 43 |
1st January 2023 | 51 |
1st January 2024 | 54 |
1st January 2025 | 61 |
1st January 2026 | 72 |
The number of pilots that will reach the mandatory age of 65 in the next 10 calendar years can be found on the Civil Aviation Authority’s published data on pilot licence holders by age and sex, which can be found here: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/approved-persons-and-organisations/personnel-licensing-statistics/pilot-licence-holders-by-age-and-sex/ . The data for 2025 will be published in the next few months.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many commercial airline pilots joined the Civil Aviation Authority register in each of the past five calendar years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows the number of pilots that received their first UK commercial pilot licence from the Civil Aviation Authority by year of issue and includes all relevant commercial licence types.
Year of Issue | Initial issues (Commercial Pilots) |
2021 | 625 |
2022 | 1374 |
2023 | 1771 |
2024 | 796 |
2025 | 961 |
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on road traffic collisions in which the at-fault driver was taking a dopamine agonist, and on those incidents where (a) speed, (b) loss of control and (c) impulsive risk-taking were recorded as contributory factors.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This information is not held.
Data on deaths and injuries in reported road collisions is based on information reported to the Department by police forces in Great Britain via the system known as STATS19.
STATS19 does not collect information about whether a driver involved in a road casualty collision has been prescribed or taken a dopamine agonist. Additionally, STATS19 does not assign blame to any of the participants in road casualty collisions, so it is not possible to provide the number of collisions where the at-fault driver was taking any drug.
The Department does receive coroner and procurator fiscals’ reports for some deceased drivers involved in road collisions. A feasibility study has been published using this data and STATS19 data to provide some insight into what type and levels of drugs are detected in deceased drivers. This is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/developing-drug-driving-statistics.
Data concerning contributory factors and road safety factors which provide some insight into why and how road collisions occur are published at:
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the speed at which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency processes driving licence renewals.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The quickest way to transact with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is by using its online services. The DVLA’s target is to dispatch 95 per cent of straightforward online driving licence applications within three working days and 90 per cent of paper applications within ten working days.
The DVLA’s target for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated is to make a decision on average within 50 working days. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.
The DVLA has seen an increase in both the volume and complexity of medical driving licence applications, which has increased waiting times for some people. To improve its services, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system, and a new medical services portal, so more people can now apply online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account.
These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls are delivering real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment into the social value of increasing rail connectivity (a) in and (b) between rural and semi-rural areas.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Assessments of the social value of increasing rail connectivity (a) in and (b) between rural and semi-rural areas are calculated on a case-by-case basis to reflect local economic conditions, using Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG). As an aid to understanding the value of such connectivity between origins and destinations, the Department for Transport has developed the connectivity metric, which measures an individual’s ability to reach employment, services and social engagements.
Connectivity evaluates the value of destinations and the opportunity to reach said destinations using various modes of transport, including walking, cycling, driving and public transport. It considers different purposes of travel, like employment, education, shopping, leisure and healthcare. Its value will vary widely across geographies or between locations.
In assessing the full social value of connectivity, the Connectivity tool is one method of gauging such potential value. However, this assessment must then take a holistic view as set out in TAG, including the guidance on assessment of the wider benefits of rail interventions including reduced road congestion, improved air quality and reduced carbon emissions.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of restoration of rail service levels to pre COVID-19 levels.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We regularly review and publish passenger demand levels and work closely with operators to ensure they provide sufficient capacity to meet demand wherever possible. We have been clear with operators that they should meet demand in a manner that supports overall performance improvement and minimises the net subsidy taxpayers pay for rail.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of bus franchising on community connectivity in rural villages.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering better bus services, including in rural areas. We have set out a plan to achieve this based on giving local leaders the powers they need and empowering them to choose the service model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, strengthened Enhanced Partnerships, or local authority bus companies.
Under franchised bus services, local authorities can assume responsibility for all elements of the bus network, including routes, timetables and fares. This can lead to improved levels of connectivity. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to franchising, and Government is engaging with Local Transport Authorities to identify potential alternative models of franchising that could be adopted and used by smaller or more rural authorities.
The Government has also allocated funding to five different areas to take forward bus franchising pilots. The pilots will test different franchising models to investigate how they can be implemented and deliver improved bus services for passengers, including in more rural locations. The pilots will provide funding, guidance, and practical resources to local transport authorities to identify the most suitable approach to bus franchising and wider bus reform measures.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Transport Secretary acts to make thousands of extra driving tests available each month, published on 23 April 2025, how many driving test places have been available to book in each the last six months for which data is available.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests provided for the months April 2025 to September 2025.
April | May | June | July | August | September | |
Total | 155,582 | 161,039 | 172,327 | 185,901 | 158,511 | 183,762 |