The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 18 December, DVSA set out further plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners (DEs). Full details of these steps can be found on GOV.UK.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests 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 6 January 2025, DVSA also introduced tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils.

DVSA continues recruitment for DEs at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in Coventry South and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns.

As part of this, DVSA has two potential new DEs for Coventry DTC in training. Another potential new DE is currently undergoing checks as part of the recruitment process.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19^th January to question number 104377.

This Government will continue to support the protection and enhancement of the Green Belt and other valued greenfield land, and to strongly encourage re-use of suitable brownfield land for development, in line with manifesto commitments and our National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework states that most new building is inappropriate in Green Belt and should be refused planning permission unless there are very special circumstances, and that only in exceptional circumstances may a Green Belt boundary be altered. We have been clear in our reform proposals, set out in the White Paper Planning for the Future, that existing policy for protecting the Green Belt would remain.

Consultation on the White Paper closed on 29 October 2020. My Department is undertaking further detailed policy development on individual elements of the proposals, and we will announce any next steps as soon as practicable.

The revenue funding allocated for primary and secondary education for each financial year from 2000 to 2018 for Coventry local authority (LA) is shown in the attached table. Funding is not allocated separately for primary and secondary pupils.

Data for capital funding allocated to local areas prior to 2011/12 is not readily available. Coventry local authority has received around £75 million of core capital allocations from the Department for Education from 2011-12 to 2017-18 financial year. The Department’s total capital budget for education from 2011-12 to 2018-19 is over £39 billion, including budgeted spend for 2017-18 and 2018-19.

This covers condition allocations for maintained and voluntary aided schools, Devolved Formula Capital and basic need funding. It does not include other condition funding allocated directly to academies, sixth form colleges and Multi Academy Trusts (MAT) within their area. Larger MATs receive allocations and often allocate funding across constituency and LA boundaries. Funding for smaller or standalone trusts and sixth form colleges is also not included, as they are instead eligible for funding through the annual Condition Improvement Fund. Additional funding is also available through centrally delivered programmes, including the £4.4 billion Priority Schools Building Programme.

Published data on capital allocations is available on the GOV.UK website.

The requested information is all available on GOV.uk.

Data on Housing Benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency is published at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669700/benefit-expenditure-by-parliamentary-constituency-2016-17.ods

Information on the number of individuals in receipt of basic State Pension or Pension Credit, by parliamentary constituency, are published and available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Guidance for users is available at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

The information requested on the number of individuals eligible to receive Pension Credit by parliamentary constituency is not available at that level.

The UK is seeking the broadest and deepest possible agreement that works for all parts of the UK - including in the West Midlands and Coventry South.

The Department for International Trade supports businesses from across the UK through its regional International Trade Advisers, sector teams, overseas network, international events programme and online services.

The Department's Export Hub visited Coventry in February 2018.

The information on the number of learners starting apprenticeships by geographical area, including by parliamentary constituency, is published on GOV.UK. The table below provides apprenticeship starts for the Coventry South Constituency in the 2016/17 academic year and in the first quarter of the 2017/18 academic year:

Notes:

1) Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.

2) 2016/17 covers August 2016 to July 2017, and 2017/18 Quarter 1 covers August to October 2017.

3) 2017/18 Quarter 1 is reported to date and will be subject to revision.

Additionally, statistics showing the destinations outcomes of learners completing apprenticeships between 2014 and 2015 are available in the ‘Further Education outcome-based success measures’ publication:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-outcome-based-success-measures-2014-to-2015.

The latest available data on PIP claims in payment, including by parliamentary constituency and main disabling condition, are published on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these published statistics.

The Assessment Provider for Coventry South constituency is Capita, not Independent Assessment Services as mentioned in the request.

The latest available data on the number of people who previously qualified for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) but have been disallowed on reassessment to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) after an assessment by Capita in Coventry South constituency can be found in the statistical tables released in December 2017 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-october-2017

Table 8G (DLA to PIP Reassessment outcomes by Parliamentary Constituency) shows the PIP reassessment outcome of claimants who have been reassessed from DLA to PIP by parliamentary constituency. It shows the number of people who have had their awards increased, unchanged and decreased and also those that were disallowed pre and post referral to the assessment. The latest date for which published data is available is 31^st October 2017. Comparisons of DLA reassessment to PIP awards are published annually.

This information is not readily available at constituency level and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

This information is not readily available at constituency level and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

This information is not readily available at constituency level and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

According to Thinkbroadband, in Coventry South constituency over 91.44% of premises now have access to superfast broadband. This is up from 38% in 2010.

Approximately 42,658 premises in Coventry South can now access superfast broadband out of a total of 45,500.

From 2020 we are also introducing a broadband Universal Service Obligation so everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high-speed broadband.

Government is supporting local jobs growth and economic development through the £131.84m Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Deal, estimated by the Local Enterprise Partnership to create 7,500 new jobs and support the local area’s aspirations to build on its advanced manufacturing and engineering strengths.

The investment programme is already bringing forward key employment sites including the recently opened One Friargate building in Coventry, the first phase in the development of a new business district, and the ambitious regeneration of Coventry City Centre South.

The Government has made available £35m funding to unlock a new development in Whitley near Coventry, which will become home to nearly 3,000 highly-skilled engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs.

The level of female unemployment in the West Midlands – estimated using the Labour Force Survey - stood at 83,000 in October to December 2017 – down from 87,000 before the 2010 election.

The female employment rate in the UK is 70.8% - a joint record high – and there are now over 15 million women employed in the country.

Note:

The sub-regional data is estimated by the ONS, using the Annual Population Survey.

The level of female unemployment in Coventry South was estimated at 1,200 in October 2016 to September 2017. This figure is subject to a high degree of statistical uncertainty due to very small sample sizes. This means we cannot make a reliable comparison to the Oct 2009-Sep 2010 estimate of 1,100.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.