Ensuring the welfare of passengers and rail staff remains a priority for the Department, including during extreme hot weather. Train operators, including those serving Slough and the South East (Great Western Railway, Greater Thameslink Railway, Southeastern and South Western Railway) encourage all passengers to follow the latest public health and travel advice. During the most recent high temperatures, amended timetables and passenger messaging were developed to support the welfare of passengers and rail staff. Additionally, Elizabeth Line trains travelling through Slough and some Great Western Railway trains also benefit from modern air-conditioned rolling stock, which helps to maintain a safe and comfortable environment during periods of high temperatures.

As employers, train operating companies are responsible for considering if high temperatures pose a risk to the health and safety of their employees. It is the individual employer’s responsibility to decide on the specific measures to put in place to mitigate any health or safety risks. The Office of Rail and Road regulates health and safety for the entire mainline rail network in Great

Network Rail takes seriously the risks of adverse weather conditions on the health and safety of its employees such as dehydration, sunburn, and heat exhaustion. it work collectively with its trade union colleagues to issue general advice on how risks can be mitigated with things like work rotation, regular breaks and sun protection (which is made available). Local areas also consider specific measures to put in place to mitigate any health or safety risks dependent on the work activity and individual vulnerabilities, whilst monitoring effectiveness. Teams also have the opportunity to instigate Network Rail’s work safe procedure should further adjustments be required.

The table below shows the May 2026 average waiting time (based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test slots are available) and number of tests booked and available for a car practical driving test at Slough driving test centre (DTC) as of 15 June 2026.

The table below shows the number of slots that were available in each of the last 12 months for Slough DTC. Please note, this data reflects the end position of any given month and includes slots that were booked or still available to be booked at the end of each month.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing with its recruitment campaigns for new driving examiners (DE) at Slough to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Between June 2025 and May 2026, DVSA has increased the number of DEs at Slough DTC from 5 to 7, which equates to 6.24 full-time equivalent DEs now at the DTC.

From recent recruitment campaigns, DVSA has had 10 successful potential new DEs for Slough, and DVSA is currently in the process of making employment offers to these candidates.

DVSA has also worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to run a site specific direct temporary recruitment campaign for Slough. There has been 1 successful candidate from this so far, with DVSA hoping to undertake driving assessments for a further 7 applicants in early September.

The table below shows the May 2026 average waiting time (based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test slots are available) and number of tests booked and available for a car practical driving test at Slough driving test centre (DTC) as of 15 June 2026.

The table below shows the number of slots that were available in each of the last 12 months for Slough DTC. Please note, this data reflects the end position of any given month and includes slots that were booked or still available to be booked at the end of each month.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing with its recruitment campaigns for new driving examiners (DE) at Slough to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Between June 2025 and May 2026, DVSA has increased the number of DEs at Slough DTC from 5 to 7, which equates to 6.24 full-time equivalent DEs now at the DTC.

From recent recruitment campaigns, DVSA has had 10 successful potential new DEs for Slough, and DVSA is currently in the process of making employment offers to these candidates.

DVSA has also worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to run a site specific direct temporary recruitment campaign for Slough. There has been 1 successful candidate from this so far, with DVSA hoping to undertake driving assessments for a further 7 applicants in early September.

The table below shows the May 2026 average waiting time (based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test slots are available) and number of tests booked and available for a car practical driving test at Slough driving test centre (DTC) as of 15 June 2026.

The table below shows the number of slots that were available in each of the last 12 months for Slough DTC. Please note, this data reflects the end position of any given month and includes slots that were booked or still available to be booked at the end of each month.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing with its recruitment campaigns for new driving examiners (DE) at Slough to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Between June 2025 and May 2026, DVSA has increased the number of DEs at Slough DTC from 5 to 7, which equates to 6.24 full-time equivalent DEs now at the DTC.

From recent recruitment campaigns, DVSA has had 10 successful potential new DEs for Slough, and DVSA is currently in the process of making employment offers to these candidates.

DVSA has also worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to run a site specific direct temporary recruitment campaign for Slough. There has been 1 successful candidate from this so far, with DVSA hoping to undertake driving assessments for a further 7 applicants in early September.

The table below shows the May 2026 average waiting time (based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test slots are available) and number of tests booked and available for a car practical driving test at Slough driving test centre (DTC) as of 15 June 2026.

The table below shows the number of slots that were available in each of the last 12 months for Slough DTC. Please note, this data reflects the end position of any given month and includes slots that were booked or still available to be booked at the end of each month.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is continuing with its recruitment campaigns for new driving examiners (DE) at Slough to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Between June 2025 and May 2026, DVSA has increased the number of DEs at Slough DTC from 5 to 7, which equates to 6.24 full-time equivalent DEs now at the DTC.

From recent recruitment campaigns, DVSA has had 10 successful potential new DEs for Slough, and DVSA is currently in the process of making employment offers to these candidates.

DVSA has also worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to run a site specific direct temporary recruitment campaign for Slough. There has been 1 successful candidate from this so far, with DVSA hoping to undertake driving assessments for a further 7 applicants in early September.

The UK plays a leading role in supporting global maritime security through a combination of operational capability, international partnerships, and trusted information sharing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKTMO) acts as the trusted interface between industry, international partners, and regional maritime forces, to deliver coordinated and reliable maritime security information and reporting.

Government officials also conduct international engagement including via the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to enhance the sharing of maritime security incidents and will escalate through government channels where needed.

We have not convened the Maritime Security Industry Forum (MSIF) to respond to the current conflict in the wider Middle East, as that forum is focused more on DfT’s existing and proposed maritime security policies. We have however convened the Maritime Industry Threat and Risk Group (MITARG) on two occasions. MITARG provides a forum for key industry contacts to be briefed confidentially on security threats to commercial maritime interests, and for industry to provide government with their views on the threat. This sits alongside continuing regular engagement with the shipping industry on the situation by DfT and other government departments.

There are no plans for the Maritime Security Industry Forum (MSIF) to report into the National Security Council. It is a channel for the Department for Transport to consult on issues relating to DfT’s existing and proposed maritime security policies with key shipping and ports industry stakeholders.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts.

This includes whether to disqualify an offender from driving and, where appropriate, the length of any disqualification.

The courts already have powers to impose lifetime disqualification where that is justified.

Separately, under the “totting up” provisions, where a driver has accumulated 12 or more penalty points within a three-year period, the court must ordinarily order disqualification for at least the statutory minimum unless there are grounds to reduce or avoid that disqualification.

All steel procurements overseen by the Department are done so in full alignment and following the principles as set out in the Steel PPN 022. In addition to existing best practice policies, from the 1 September 2025 this required the Department to:

• Consult UK Steel’s Digital Catalogue prior to design and procurement decisions being made. Include a contract clause which extends this obligation to Tier 1 contractors and their subcontractors (where relevant).
• Consider if the national security exemption in paragraph 25 of Schedule 2 to the Procurement Act 2023 is relevant to the procurement and apply as appropriate.

These additional policy measures are designed to increase the amount of UK Steel used in procurement contracts.

The information requested is not readily available. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency officials will write to the honourable member when the information requested has been extracted and assured.

The Government recognises that motor insurance premiums have increased, while the fines for driving uninsured have remained the same.

We want to ensure that there are the right incentives in place, and that is why, as part of our new Road Safety Strategy we are consulting on changes to the motoring offences including consideration of whether the minimum penalties for the offence of driving uninsured should be increased.

No recent discussions have been had, as these are operational matters which are the responsibility of the train operating companies. However, all train operating companies must adhere to relevant health and safety legislation to be able to operate on the railways. This is enforced by the independent railway safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

The Resilience Action Plan sets out the Government’s strategic approach to how we will strengthen our domestic resilience and invest to protect the nation. Department for Transport officials regularly attend meetings to discuss the implementation of the Resilience Action Plan as well as matters of national security and defence.

Led by the Director of Resilience, Analysis, International and Sanctions the Department for Transport is actively contributing to this through the work of several different teams including those in the Resilience, Analysis, International and Sanctions Directorate and the Transport Security Directorate. DfT regularly meet with the transport sector and colleagues across government to discuss and improve transport resilience and security.

Officials from the Department for Transport regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The Department for Transport is actively supporting this work through teams including those in the Resilience, Analysis, International and Sanctions Directorate and the Transport Security Directorate.

Department for Transport Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.

The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.

The Department for Transport is actively supporting this work.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows how many practical car driving tests were conducted and cancelled, at Slough driving test centre in each month of 2024 and 2025. Also included is the number of practical car driving test slots that were available to book during this period but were not used. It is not possible to include data on the number of tests cancelled that then go on to be unused.

Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025. Data for individual driving test centres is updated annually. The next update to this information will be published in June/July. DVSA publishes some of this data which is available on GOV.UK

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in Slough and the southeast, to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

For Slough driving test centre (DTC), a new entrant driving examiner has successfully completed their training which will help to increase the number of tests available at this centre. Two further new entrant driving examiners will also be undertaking training shortly.

For the southeast, since 1 April 2025, DVSA has successfully recruited 108 new driving examiners.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows how many practical car driving tests were conducted and cancelled, at Slough driving test centre in each month of 2024 and 2025. Also included is the number of practical car driving test slots that were available to book during this period but were not used. It is not possible to include data on the number of tests cancelled that then go on to be unused.

Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025. Data for individual driving test centres is updated annually. The next update to this information will be published in June/July. DVSA publishes some of this data which is available on GOV.UK

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in Slough and the southeast, to provide as many tests as possible. A full-time driving examiner (DE) can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

For Slough driving test centre (DTC), a new entrant driving examiner has successfully completed their training which will help to increase the number of tests available at this centre. Two further new entrant driving examiners will also be undertaking training shortly.

For the southeast, since 1 April 2025, DVSA has successfully recruited 108 new driving examiners.

Department for Transport Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The Department for Transport is actively supporting this work.