Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce a national road pricing scheme for motorists.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase the standard rate of Insurance Premium Tax.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new tax on electric vehicles based on mileage travelled.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
As announced at Budget 2025, the Government will introduce Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, from April 2028. This will help address the decline in fuel duty receipts as more people switch to electric vehicles.
From April 2028, electric cars will pay 3 pence per mile, around half the equivalent fuel duty rate paid by the average petrol or diesel driver, while plug-in hybrid cars will pay a reduced rate of 1.5 pence per mile. Drivers will pay eVED alongside their existing Vehicle Excise Duty.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to freeze the qualifying date for the historic vehicle exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase rates of Vehicle Excise Duty for petrol and diesel vehicles.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Prime Minister has approved the Government's proposed designation of Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) proposes designating Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure, recognising its potential importance to national growth. We have consulted on this approach, and the Government will carefully consider the views received through the consultation, alongside the Transport Select Committee's recommendations, before setting out its response and any next steps in relation to the HENPS.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department supports the proposed designation of Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Heathrow expansion on economic growth outside London.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) proposes designating Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure, recognising its potential importance to national growth. We have consulted on this approach, and the Government will carefully consider the views received through the consultation, alongside the Transport Select Committee's recommendations, before setting out its response and any next steps in relation to the HENPS.
As part of the consultation on the draft HENPS the Department conducted analysis to look at the potential impact of Heathrow expansion on the economy, including outside London. This analysis can be found in the Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report (HEAR) located here: Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement appraisal report - GOV.UK. The HEAR is supported by further economic impact modelling located here: Heathrow expansion economic impact modelling - GOV.UK. This analysis found that the scheme could add up to 0.05% to UK GDP in 2056, with up to 40% of these benefits accruing to regions outside of London and the South East.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2026 to Question 29345 on RAF Northolt, how much his Department (a) has spent in each financial year since 2022-23 and (b) plans to spend on Sustainable Aviation Fuel and associated infrastructure at RAF Northolt; and whether he has undertaken a value for money assessment comparing that expenditure with the cost of using an equivalent volume of conventional aviation fuel.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department has not incurred any additional costs from the use of higher-blend SAF at RAF Northolt in any financial year since 2022-23. The Department also has no plans to spend on higher-blend SAF or associated infrastructure at RAF Northolt.
No value for money assessment has been undertaken, as the use of higher-blend SAF at RAF Northolt has not resulted in any additional cost to Defence when compared with conventional aviation fuel.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England holds data on the number of integrated care boards that commission a defined pathway for the assessment and support of children and young people with selective mutism; and what steps she is taking to address variation in provision, including within NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Applicants in this situation are welcome to reapply on the extended scheme. Before doing so they should check the grant guidance as new evidencing requirements have been introduced.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how many automotive manufacturers and suppliers are expected to receive support under the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme; and when that support will become available.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the impact that high energy costs are having on the automotive sector. Through the launch of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) the Government is committed to helping eligible businesses, including many from the automotive sector, to reduce their electricity costs to bring them more into line with other European economies.
Applications for BICS are now open until the 30th November 2026. If approved, a business will begin to receive exemptions from April 2027. They will also receive an additional payment in 2027 to cover costs approximately equivalent to an extra year’s benefit.