Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to help increase the number of (a) driving instructors and (b) examiners.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not employ driving instructors. Whilst DVSA does not have the power to either increase or limit the number of approved driving instructors (ADIs), the number of instructors on the DVSA’s ADI register has increased in the last few years.
The number of new applications to start the qualification process to become an ADI has also increased and DVSA are using all available ADI examiner resources to provide as many ADI qualifications tests as possible, to ensure potential instructors can complete the process.
On the 18 December 2024, DVSA set out plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps included recruiting 450 driving examiners.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that she has asked DVSA to take action on four additional measures. These include:
Further information regarding these measures can be found on GOV.UK
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the availability of driving tests in Slough constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests booked and available in the 24-week booking window, as of 28th April 2025, for driving test centres (DTCs) serving customers in the Slough constituency:
DTC | Car practical driving tests booked | Car practical driving test available |
Slough | 1836 | 1 |
Yeading | 1952 | 32 |
Uxbridge | 2309 | 20 |
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.
On the 18 December 2024, a call for evidence was launched, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On the 23 April the Secretary of State announced that this consultation has been fast-tracked to May 2025.
On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 25 warnings, 4 suspensions, and closed 90 business accounts.
DVSA has deployed bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly. These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to prevent block booking by bots for driving tests in Slough.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests booked and available in the 24-week booking window, as of 28th April 2025, for driving test centres (DTCs) serving customers in the Slough constituency:
DTC | Car practical driving tests booked | Car practical driving test available |
Slough | 1836 | 1 |
Yeading | 1952 | 32 |
Uxbridge | 2309 | 20 |
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.
On the 18 December 2024, a call for evidence was launched, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On the 23 April the Secretary of State announced that this consultation has been fast-tracked to May 2025.
On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 25 warnings, 4 suspensions, and closed 90 business accounts.
DVSA has deployed bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly. These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of school transport support available to parents of SEND children in Slough.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Slough to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with local councils on funding available for school transport services for SEND children.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Slough to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions has she had with retailers on the potential impact of the Crime and Policing Bill on the retail sector.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this. Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work.
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We want to send a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. This Government and the retail sector have long championed the new offence.
Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles.
We will use the parliamentary process to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and will consider carefully amendments tabled as well as evidence put forward in support of such amendments.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with retail companies on the safety of home delivery drivers.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this. Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work.
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We want to send a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. This Government and the retail sector have long championed the new offence.
Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles.
We will use the parliamentary process to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and will consider carefully amendments tabled as well as evidence put forward in support of such amendments.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take legislative steps to help protect the safety of retail home delivery drivers.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this. Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work.
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We want to send a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. This Government and the retail sector have long championed the new offence.
Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles.
We will use the parliamentary process to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and will consider carefully amendments tabled as well as evidence put forward in support of such amendments.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of its statutory intervention at Slough Borough Council since December 2021.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
After publishing the fifth report from Slough Commissioners together with my response in October 2024, I confirmed to the House on 20 November that I had extended the statutory intervention at Slough Borough Council until 30 November 2026, and reappointed the Commissioner team together with a Managing Director Commissioner.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure there will be no disruption to telecare users' service with the end of the Public Switched Telephone Network.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is determined to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for all customers across the UK.
Communication providers and network operators signed voluntary charters in December 2023 and March 2024, ensuring their commitment to protect vulnerable consumers during the PSTN migration. On 18 November 2024, the major communication providers agreed to adhere to further safeguards in the Non-Voluntary Migrations Checklist. Safeguards include signing data sharing agreements with local authorities to identify telecare users and a commitment to ensuring no disruption to telecare users' service when their landlines are migrated. As of April 2025, over 90% of local authorities have signed a data sharing agreement with at least one communication provider.