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Written Question
Bridges: Repairs and Maintenance
Wednesday 8th July 2026

Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authority-owned highway bridges are subject to weight restrictions or closures because the estimated repair costs exceed the funding currently available.

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

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. My Department does not collect data on the reason for every weight restriction or closure applied to a bridge by a local highway authority.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 07 Jul 2026
Summer Jobs

"The Minister makes a very interesting point about city centres being hollowed out, but the main thrust of this debate is about young people doing summer jobs before they go back to school or university in the autumn. They are the very young people who would ordinarily take those wages …..."
Rebecca Smith - View Speech

View all Rebecca Smith (Con - South West Devon) contributions to the debate on: Summer Jobs
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 07 Jul 2026
Summer Jobs

"I am glad that the Minister has brought up the subject of fully funded apprenticeships for those under 25. As soon as that was announced, an electrician in my constituency contacted me and said, “That is all well and good, but I still have to pay the higher wages.” Although …..."
Rebecca Smith - View Speech

View all Rebecca Smith (Con - South West Devon) contributions to the debate on: Summer Jobs
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 07 Jul 2026
Summer Jobs

"Does my right hon. Friend recognise that the group of people who often get forgotten in these debates—certainly by Government Members—are business owners? They are trying to hang on to these young people, or even to their normal employees, and they want to do the right thing so they pay …..."
Rebecca Smith - View Speech

View all Rebecca Smith (Con - South West Devon) contributions to the debate on: Summer Jobs
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 07 Jul 2026
Summer Jobs

"My hon. Friend reminds me that one of the other soft skills that we learn that way is resilience. I am wondering how he got those jobs, because I earned £10 a day in my first job. I was sweeping the floor in a florist and, if I was lucky, …..."
Rebecca Smith - View Speech

View all Rebecca Smith (Con - South West Devon) contributions to the debate on: Summer Jobs
Division Vote (Commons)
7 Jul 2026 - Early Release of Prisoners - View Vote Context
Rebecca Smith (Con) was Teller for the Ayes and against the House
Vote Tally: Ayes - 115 Noes - 0
Written Question
Railways: Belfast and Dublin
Tuesday 7th July 2026

Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a high-speed railway between Belfast and Dublin.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The railway in Northern Ireland is a fully devolved matter, including assessment of any new rail projects and proposals. The Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for their Infrastructure Strategy, including cross border cooperation with the Republic of Ireland.

Written Question
Air Traffic Control: Staff
Tuesday 7th July 2026

Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have (a) applied for, (b) commenced and (c) successfully completed air traffic controller training in each of the last five years.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority do not hold data on the number of individuals who applied for, started, or successfully completed air traffic controller training in each of the last five years.

Since 2022-23, the Civil Aviation Authority has published the number of licensed air traffic controllers in its Annual Report & Accounts. This is summarised in the table below.

Licensed Air Traffic Controllers (based on data from published CAA Annual Report)

Year

Source

2209

As at end FY2024/25

CAA Annual Report & Accounts 2024-25

2330

As at end FY2023/24

CAA Annual Report & Accounts 2023-24

2120

As at end FY 2022/23

CAA Annual Report & Accounts 2022-23

2194

As at end FY2021/22

CAA Shared Service Centre

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 06 Jul 2026
Employment and Training

"This draft order will allow the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, known as the ECITB, to continue collecting a levy on employers in order to fund training and address skills shortages. The engineering construction industry underpins many of the services that we rely on every day: heating our homes, supplying …..."
Rebecca Smith - View Speech

View all Rebecca Smith (Con - South West Devon) contributions to the debate on: Employment and Training
Division Vote (Commons)
6 Jul 2026 - National Security (State Threats) Bill - View Vote Context
Rebecca Smith (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 82 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 394 Noes - 85