Record Roads Investment and Radical Council Shake-Up

High-Level Summary

The day began with a tribute to former MP David Winnick, followed by Transport questions spanning rail nationalisation, accessibility, driving test backlogs, roads, fares, buses and safety. Ministers later announced one of the biggest investments in England’s major roads at £27 billion, alongside approval for 16 local road schemes. An Urgent Question set out plans to implement unitary councils in parts of Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, with further consultation in Sussex. The Treasury reported an NS&I failure to trace some deceased customers’ holdings, promising a May delivery plan and appointing Sir Jim Harra as interim CEO. The House also addressed planned resident‑doctor strikes, Select Committee findings on coastal erosion and palliative care, disabled people’s access to transport, support for Gurkha veterans, and an Adjournment debate on Cheshire Police’s conduct in the Letby case.

Detailed Summary

Oral Answers: Transport

Rail nationalisation in the east of England was presented as improving performance, with the Secretary of State stating public ownership will “put passengers first” and reporting low cancellations and upgrades as part of the move towards Great British Railways. Accessibility featured strongly: ministers cited “nearly £280 million to improve accessibility at stations through the Access for All programme” and ongoing design work and visits at specific stations.

On driving tests, the Government accepted waiting times “remain too high,” pointing to extra examiners, support from Ministry of Defence examiners, and 124,000 more tests delivered this financial year. Roads and maintenance dominated: ministers highlighted £7.3 billion over four years for local highways and National Highways’ target to keep 96.2% of strategic road surfaces in good condition. On passenger rail, ministers linked public ownership and GBR to improved reliability, while opponents pressed on fares and taxpayer value, with ministers replying that strikes under the previous Government cost £850 million and that savings from nationalisation would follow. Road safety plans aimed to cut deaths and serious injuries by 65% (70% for children) by 2035. Bus exchanges covered reliability, franchising and funding, with confirmation of “over £3 billion for buses over the next three years” and tools for local leaders. On aviation, ministers said they “intend to review the role that technologies such as EGNOS can play” in resilience for remote airports. In Topical Questions, the Secretary of State announced “one of the biggest ever investments in England’s major roads” (£27 billion) and confirmed green lights for 16 local road schemes.

Local Government Reorganisation (Urgent Question)

Alison McGovern outlined plans, subject to Parliament, to implement proposals for 15 new councils across Essex (with Southend‑on‑Sea and Thurrock), Hampshire (with Southampton and Portsmouth), Norfolk and Suffolk, reducing 44 councils to 16, to deliver “clearer structures, stronger councils, quicker decisions”. She said modified proposals for East and West Sussex would undergo further technical consultation after the May local elections, with final decisions to follow, and that elections to new unitaries were planned for 2027 with go‑live in April 2028.

Opposition MPs accused the Government of central imposition and political motives; James Cleverly called it “an act of gross gerrymandering and political opportunism” and questioned costs and borrowing. McGovern replied that proposals were locally led, the Boundary Commission had been engaged, and finances and children’s and adult services pressures would be addressed, while confirming commitment to the 2027/28 timetable and additional consultation where needed.

Business of the House

The Leader set out business for April and confirmed the State Opening of Parliament will be on Wednesday 13 May 2026, with prorogation beforehand. He condemned the arson attack on Hatzola ambulances and paid tribute to PC Keith Palmer. On cost‑of‑living questions, he said the Government is “bringing down energy bills by £120” and would update the House in light of international events.

National Savings & Investments: tracing failure and leadership change (Treasury Statement)

The Exchequer Secretary reported an operational failure at NS&I to “comprehensively trace accounts for some customers who had passed away,” potentially affecting up to 37,500 customers with deposits up to £476 million. He stressed that “those savings are 100% safe” and that returning funds to estates “in no way represents an additional liability to the taxpayer”. NS&I will publish a delivery plan in May to proactively contact estate representatives, pay “interest on savings,” and provide compensation where appropriate, with a dedicated route for MPs to raise cases.

To steady the organisation, Sir Jim Harra was appointed interim Chief Executive to provide a “fresh start,” conduct a three‑month review into the tracing failure and lessons learned, and share it with the Treasury and Public Accounts Committee Chairs. Ministers confirmed compensation will include compensatory interest in line with FCA guidance, with complex cases considered individually.

Resident doctors: industrial action (Health and Social Care Statement)

The Secretary of State said the BMA Resident Doctors Committee had called strikes for 7–13 April “immediately following the long Easter bank holiday weekend,” after it rejected a “landmark deal” developed with BMA officers. The offer included pay‑structure reform to give more frequent rises during training, pay “linked to the independent DDRB,” reimbursement of Royal College exam fees, contract reform for locally employed doctors and “up to 4,500 more specialty training places” over three years. He argued residents would be “35.2% better off than four years ago” this year and warned that prolonged conflict in Iran could affect public finances, urging the BMA to reconsider.

The Shadow Health Secretary said ministers had “conceded heavily on pay… and still failed to make it work,” and asked whether the extra training places were conditional on a deal. The Secretary of State replied that productivity gains and pay‑structure reform supported affordability, but that additional training places would not materialise if the offer were rejected, urging the BMA to “seize the offer before it is too late”.

Select Committee statement: Coastal erosion

Presenting the EFRA Committee’s report, Jenny Riddell‑Carpenter described coastal erosion as a growing human, housing and public health crisis, citing the Environment Agency’s prediction that within 80 years “more than 10,000 properties could be destroyed by or lost to the sea, along with 180 km of road”. She emphasised the “human issue,” including grief, anxiety and “trauma tourism,” and said communities must be involved in decisions.

Recommendations included making coastal erosion risk “material information” in conveyancing; reviewing the £6,000 demolition grant (unchanged since 2010) and its restrictive eligibility; creating a long‑term national strategy for relocation and financial support; embedding shoreline management plans in planning decisions; and better valuing the economic and social worth of coasts.

Select Committee statement: Palliative care

Layla Moran said the Health and Social Care Committee’s expert panel found palliative and end‑of‑life care in “critical condition: fragmented, failing and forgotten,” with particularly serious gaps for babies, children and young people and a postcode lottery for all. The Committee welcomed inclusion of palliative care among the first modern service frameworks but insisted it must lead to action, accountability and consequences for failure—not “another framework that gathers dust”.

Concerns included that only 43% of ICBs currently provide proper 24/7 telephone advice lines despite two decades of guidance; data gaps on palliative care registers; and the need for workforce planning and sustainable hospice funding. The Committee urged mandated 24/7 access to advice, medicines and in‑person care, improved data sharing across partners, and specific measures for children’s palliative care in the long‑term workforce plan.

Backbench Business: Transport accessibility for disabled people

Opening the debate, Ruth Cadbury urged a practical, ambitious and integrated strategy, noting recent Government steps (an accessible railways road map, Bus Services Act 2025 tools and an aviation accessibility group) but warning that the 2018 ambition of equal access by 2030 was not on track and that enforcement remains weak. She argued that inaccessible infrastructure embeds barriers and that Access for All progress is too slow, while current enforcement relies unfairly on individuals pursuing complaints or litigation.

Ministers said disabled people and their organisations are central to developing the integrated national transport strategy and that an accessible travel charter will set “clear commitments for transport operators and local authorities,” with a Law Commission review underway to identify enforcement gaps. Next steps include publishing design standards for accessible rail stations ahead of GBR’s stand‑up and embedding accessibility within local transport plans.

Gurkha veterans

Cameron Thomas recounted the service and injuries of a Falklands‑deployed Gurkha to highlight hardship among pre‑1997 retirees and issues around visas, welfare and pensions. He quoted the Gurkha memorial inscription—“Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous”—and argued veterans need practical support, not only tributes.

Responding, the Defence Minister praised Gurkhas’ “extraordinary service” and that they “stand… shoulder to shoulder with Britain”. He outlined support via the Gurkha Welfare Trust (nearly £10 million a year plus a £24 million uplift) and confirmed work with the Home Office on scrapping visa fees for qualifying non‑UK veterans and dependants. He noted that pension arrangements had been tested and upheld in court, while committing to continued engagement with veteran representatives and the Government of Nepal.

Adjournment: Lucy Letby case – conduct of Cheshire Police

David Davis MP raised concerns about Cheshire Police’s handling of the Letby investigation, alleging failures to follow statutory guidance, expert use and disclosure, and calling for documentation to be provided to the defence. The Chair advised that a Speaker’s waiver of sub judice applied because relevant inquests are adjourned.

The Policing Minister stated she could not comment while CCRC reviews are ongoing, and stressed that Letby’s convictions followed “trial by jury… and two appeal processes,” adding that it is important not to undermine public confidence in due process.