Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many MP surgeries have Ministers in her Department had with MPs (a) in the period July 2024 to January 2025 and (b) since January 2025.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This information is not centrally held. For information on Ministerial meetings transparency returns can be found at gov.uk
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps are being taken to ensure adequate staffing levels on GTR services during peak commuting hours.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department works closely with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to make sure it has the right number of staff to run a reliable service. With the support of the Department, GTR is increasing the number of Thameslink and Great Northern train drivers by 75 this year, and by 40 for Southern & Gatwick Express. This programme has supported a 70 per cent reduction in the number of trains cancelled due to traincrew related reasons across the Thameslink & Great Northern network over the first eight months of this year compared to 2025, and 75 per cent for the peak time Thameslink service between East Grinstead and London.
The level of traincrew related cancellations across Southern services remains consistently low. For example, in the latest reporting period (ending on 22 August), only five of the 2,919 services on the East Grinstead and Uckfield lines were cancelled for traincrew-related reasons, representing fewer than 0.2 per cent of services.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for upgrading rail infrastructure on the Uckfield line.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A Strategic Outline Business Case was completed by Network Rail in 2021 which considered the positive impact electrifying the Uckfield line would have on train performance and reliability. The scheme was paused by the previous Government in 2022; no further assessments have taken place, and the scheme is not currently funded.
We will continue to work with industry partners to identify affordable and deliverable opportunities to improve rail services across the South East.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential environmental impact of operating the Class 171 diesel fleet on the Uckfield Line.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not made a specific assessment of the environmental impact of operating the Class 171 diesel fleet on the Uckfield Line. As the line is not electrified, it is for the operator to deploy appropriate rolling stock to deliver services while seeking to reduce environmental impacts wherever possible.
We are developing a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, for the first time in over 30 years, which we expect to publish this Autumn. As part of this strategy, we will set out our approach to rail decarbonisation.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will make an assessment of the potential impact of electrifying the Uckfield Line on the reliability and frequency of passenger services.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A Strategic Outline Business Case was completed by Network Rail in 2021 which considered the positive impact electrifying the Uckfield line would have on train performance and reliability. The scheme was paused by the previous Government in 2022; no further assessments have taken place, and the scheme is not currently funded.
We will continue to work with industry partners to identify affordable and deliverable opportunities to improve rail services across the South East.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of electrifying the Uckfield rail line on train reliability.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A Strategic Outline Business Case was completed by Network Rail in 2021 which considered the positive impact electrifying the Uckfield line would have on train performance and reliability. The scheme was paused by the previous Government in 2022; no further assessments have taken place, and the scheme is not currently funded.
We will continue to work with industry partners to identify affordable and deliverable opportunities to improve rail services across the South East.