To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the outcomes for university students being taught by franchises, with particular regard to their (a) future income, (b) knowledge and subject understanding, (c) health and wellbeing, and (d) capacity to participate in public life, and (2) the impact...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the outcomes for university students being taught by franchises, with particular regard to their (a) future income, (b) knowledge and subject understanding, (c) health and wellbeing, and (d) capacity to participate in public life, and (2) the impact...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to support local authorities with bus franchising.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to support local authorities with bus franchising.

Would the Minister encourage the Government’s traffic commissioner for Scotland to build on the remarkable success of bus franchising in Manchester, and work with the Scottish Government to emulate the success of Manchester’s Bee Network in my constituency of Paisley and Renfrewshire North?

Would the Minister encourage the Government’s traffic commissioner for Scotland to build on the remarkable success of bus franchising in Manchester, and work with the Scottish Government to emulate the success of Manchester’s Bee Network in my constituency of Paisley and Renfrewshire North?

As reporting from Greater Manchester’s Bee Network shows, bus franchising can deliver improved services for passengers, and the Government are taking steps to support the roll-out of bus franchising in England. Obviously, transport is a devolved matter, but I encourage Ministers in Scotland to learn from the success of Labour mayors in England.

As reporting from Greater Manchester’s Bee Network shows, bus franchising can deliver improved services for passengers, and the Government are taking steps to support the roll-out of bus franchising in England. Obviously, transport is a devolved matter, but I encourage Ministers in Scotland to learn from the success of Labour mayors in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of convenience store closures on access to essential services, including Post Office provision, in (a) towns and (b) neighbourhood centres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of convenience store closures on access to essential services, including Post Office provision, in (a) towns and (b) neighbourhood centres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what support is available to local small businesses seeking to take on Post Office services in areas where branches are closing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what support is available to local small businesses seeking to take on Post Office services in areas where branches are closing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity of Post Office services in communities affected by the closure of franchised branches located within retail premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity of Post Office services in communities affected by the closure of franchised branches located within retail premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department maintains a list of which local transport authorities are seeking to make use of the franchising powers in the Bus Services Act 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department maintains a list of which local transport authorities are seeking to make use of the franchising powers in the Bus Services Act 2025.

Motion that this House has considered Government support for bus services in West Dorset constituency. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered Government support for bus services in West Dorset constituency. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for bus services in West Dorset constituency.

It is a pleasure, as always, to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. It is my privilege to bring this debate to the House.

This issue may seem niche, but it matters a...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for bus services in West Dorset constituency.

It is a pleasure, as always, to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. It is my privilege to bring this debate to the House.

This issue may seem niche, but it matters a...

I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. As he is well aware, West Dorset is similar to my constituency, with market towns and many townlands rather than towns, and the profitability of public transport can be questionable. However, does he agree that the bottom line is not the...

I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. As he is well aware, West Dorset is similar to my constituency, with market towns and many townlands rather than towns, and the profitability of public transport can be questionable. However, does he agree that the bottom line is not the...

The hon. Member rightly touches on a lot of the issues that I will come to, all of which I know are as pressing in his part of the United Kingdom as they are in mine.

I thank the Minister for the constructive meeting we had on these issues. For the...

The hon. Member rightly touches on a lot of the issues that I will come to, all of which I know are as pressing in his part of the United Kingdom as they are in mine.

I thank the Minister for the constructive meeting we had on these issues. For the...

My constituency neighbour will know that in Somerset and Dorset, we get older models of buses no longer used elsewhere. At the same time, rural bus depots, such as the one in Yeovil, are closing. If a bus breaks down from Ilchester on the way to Dorchester, passengers have to...

My constituency neighbour will know that in Somerset and Dorset, we get older models of buses no longer used elsewhere. At the same time, rural bus depots, such as the one in Yeovil, are closing. If a bus breaks down from Ilchester on the way to Dorchester, passengers have to...

My hon. Friend and neighbour is right to raise the pertinent issues of older buses and the closing of depots, which are directly linked. I hope that has been heard by the Minister.

Across England, there were over 1 billion fewer passenger journeys in 2023 than in 2015. Bus service frequency...

My hon. Friend and neighbour is right to raise the pertinent issues of older buses and the closing of depots, which are directly linked. I hope that has been heard by the Minister.

Across England, there were over 1 billion fewer passenger journeys in 2023 than in 2015. Bus service frequency...

Interconnectivity goes across not just buses but other modes of transport such as trains. There is a petition in one of my rural areas where, pre-covid, trains ran every 30 minutes; that is now every two hours, and there is a big gap in the middle of the day. Does...

Interconnectivity goes across not just buses but other modes of transport such as trains. There is a petition in one of my rural areas where, pre-covid, trains ran every 30 minutes; that is now every two hours, and there is a big gap in the middle of the day. Does...

I agree 100%—talk to anyone who has got off the last train from Crewkerne when the last bus stopped two hours beforehand. We are depriving our communities of the ability to get around, and of course there is an economic impact to that.

The CB3 community bus in Beaminster demonstrates exactly...

I agree 100%—talk to anyone who has got off the last train from Crewkerne when the last bus stopped two hours beforehand. We are depriving our communities of the ability to get around, and of course there is an economic impact to that.

The CB3 community bus in Beaminster demonstrates exactly...

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. I congratulate the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) on securing this important debate. He has been a committed champion of bus services and transport needs in his constituency, and I thank him for the constructive...

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. I congratulate the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) on securing this important debate. He has been a committed champion of bus services and transport needs in his constituency, and I thank him for the constructive...

My biggest concern is that we have no electric buses in Yeovil. There is nowhere to charge them because other depots have been shut down. How will we cope with an electric future if First Bus is closing depots?

My biggest concern is that we have no electric buses in Yeovil. There is nowhere to charge them because other depots have been shut down. How will we cope with an electric future if First Bus is closing depots?

That will be a commercial decision for First Bus about whether to invest in those services. The option remains for local leaders to consider whether they want to pursue franchising and take greater control over that issue. They could also lift the ban on establishing new municipal bus companies. There...

That will be a commercial decision for First Bus about whether to invest in those services. The option remains for local leaders to consider whether they want to pursue franchising and take greater control over that issue. They could also lift the ban on establishing new municipal bus companies. There...

Lords motion to take note of the future affordability and quality of higher education. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the future affordability and quality of higher education. Agreed to on question.