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Written Question
Abnormal Loads: West Midlands
Tuesday 25th November 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), under which special order certificate the tram movement from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024 was made.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The trams were moving under Special Order permit (certificate) number P37/2024 signed on the 29th January 2024 cleared for in Special Order application ref: RFS/2988.


Written Question
Abnormal Loads: West Midlands
Tuesday 25th November 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), under which movement classification the movement notification to National Highways about the tram movement from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024 was made.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The actual movement notification for the tram movements was submitted under ‘STGO AIL Cat 3’ on ref: RFS/3062 on the 25th January 2024.


Written Question
Abnormal Loads: West Midlands
Tuesday 25th November 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), whether any special order other than that referenced in Special Order P35/2024 dated 29 January 2024 was granted under section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 for the movement of a tram from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Yes. In addition to the above referenced Special Order P35/2024, a second application was also cleared on 29th January 2024 for tram movements between the same two sites, with a Special Order number of P37/2024.


Written Question
Abnormal Loads: West Midlands
Monday 17th November 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), what was the (1) start, and (2) end, date and time included in the notification to National Highways of the movement of a tram from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The start date of the notification was 02 February 2024 at 0000. The end date of the notification was 01 March 2024 at 2359.


Written Question
Abnormal Loads: West Midlands
Monday 17th November 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), what was the date and time of the notification to National Highways about the tram movement from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The notification was sent at 25/01/2024 at 18:10.


Written Question
Baker Viaduct: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 27th October 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government which special orders the Secretary of State has made under section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in connection with the Baker Viaduct project; and for each special order, what were the date of the movement, the length and width of the load, the site where the piece was manufactured, its destination, and details of the abnormality which brought it outside of the provisions of the Road Vehicles Authorisation of Special Types (General) Order 2003.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

I can confirm that no special exemptions have been issued for the Baker Viaduct Project under section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.


Written Question
Army: Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Monday 17th March 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many armoured brigades are on the establishment of the British Army.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The British Army have two armoured brigades. These are the 12 Armoured Brigade Combat Team (12 ABCT) and the 20 Armoured Brigade Combat Team (20 ABCT).

There are currently four armoured regiments in the British Army that are equipped with the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. They are The Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH), The King’s Royal Hussars (KRH), The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), and the Reserve armoured regiment, The Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY).

The KRH, RTR, and RWxY are assigned to 12 ABCT and The QRH is assigned to 20 ABCT.


Written Question
Army: Challenger Tanks
Monday 17th March 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many armoured regiments equipped with Challenger 2 tanks are established in the British Army, and to what formations they are assigned to.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The British Army have two armoured brigades. These are the 12 Armoured Brigade Combat Team (12 ABCT) and the 20 Armoured Brigade Combat Team (20 ABCT).

There are currently four armoured regiments in the British Army that are equipped with the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. They are The Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH), The King’s Royal Hussars (KRH), The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), and the Reserve armoured regiment, The Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY).

The KRH, RTR, and RWxY are assigned to 12 ABCT and The QRH is assigned to 20 ABCT.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Monday 27th January 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the established liability for Staff Officer 2 Military posts across the Ministry of Defence; and how many officers from all three services with a substantive rank of major or equivalent are available to fill them.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The following table provides a breakdown, by Service, of the numbers of OF-3 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel (Army Major and equivalent), as at 1 October 2024. Please note that we do not routinely release workforce requirement figures for reasons of operational security.

OF-3 (Army Major and equivalent) by Substantive Rank

1 October 2024

UK Regular Forces

7,747

Royal Navy/Royal Marines

1,732

Army

4,048

Royal Air Force

1,967

Source: Analysis (Tri-Service)

Table notes:

  1. UK Regulars comprise Full time Service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service, Locally Engaged Personnel, Non Regular Permanent Staff, High Readiness Reserve and Expeditionary Forces Institute personnel. Figures include trained and untrained personnel.
  2. Figures are based on individual's substantive rank.
  3. Figures include all personnel at OF-3 regardless of eligibility for Staff Officer 2 posts. This includes personnel on the Resilience Margin.
  4. Figures include all personnel regardless of Medical Deployability Status.


Written Question
Army and Defence Equipment & Support: Vacancies
Monday 27th January 2025

Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Staff Officer 2 Military posts are vacant at (1) Army Headquarters and (2) the Defence Equipment and Support organisation.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Department continues to fill the highest priority roles first in accordance with current and future output requirements. I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.