Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Cabinet Office guidance permits arm's length bodies to use public funds to appoint external public affairs or lobbying consultancies to engage with ministers, government departments or Parliament.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office does not issue specific guidance on this matter. However, the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies states that ‘it will always be an improper use of public funds for public bodies to employ consultants or other companies to lobby Parliament, government or political parties.’ Responsibility for ensuring compliance with these standards rests with the Accounting Officer of each arm's length body and their respective sponsoring department.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will include Freedom of Religion or Belief in any future Human Rights and Democracy Reports.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 June in response to Question 9575.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the level of violence faced by converted Christians in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 June in response to Question 10866 and to my written statement to the House on 29 April.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of how the UK can support the prevention of further violence against Christians in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 June in response to Question 10866 and to my written statement to the House on 29 April.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much of the £250 million in humanitarian assistance being given to Syria will directly or indirectly go towards supporting the inclusion of Syrian minority communities, and specifically religious minorities.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 June in response to Question 10866 and to my written statement to the House on 29 April.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on UK vehicle manufacturing of the Rules of Origin requirements for electric vehicles and batteries due to apply from 1 January 2027 under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

New rules of origin requirements for electric vehicles under the TCA are scheduled to come into force on 1st January 2027. The UK Government recognises and shares the growing concern from industry about the potential impact of the upcoming rule changes on both UK and EU production. We are engaging with the European Commission and the UK automotive sector on the issue with a view to finding a mutually satisfactory solution. That includes, as a priority, looking to finalise joint guidance on the origin requirements related to Cathode Active Material.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of simplifying or consolidating the statutory qualification and certification requirements for professional bus, coach and heavy goods vehicle drivers.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

A review in 2021/22 concluded that the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) should be retained but reformed. A package of reforms was introduced in December 2024 to provide greater flexibility for drivers and operators.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has no plans to consolidate the qualification processes for these types of vehicles. The skills and knowledge necessary to safely drive each vehicle category are sufficiently different to require separate assessments. Drivers, however, who hold licence entitlements for both lorries and buses only need to complete one set of 35 hours periodic training every five years to maintain their Driver CPC qualification.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were convicted of offences relating to the use of privately-owned e-scooters on public roads in each police force area in each of the last five years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not hold this data.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of light commercial vans that will require at least one enroute charging stop during a typical working day following the transition to zero emission vans.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has not made an estimate of the proportion of light commercial vans (LCV) that would require a charging stop during a typical working day. The charging requirements of an electric LCV depend on a wide range of factors, including vehicle model and battery size, payload, route characteristics, driving style, weather conditions, auxiliary power use and daily mileage.

The market for electric LCVs continues to develop, with an increasing number of more affordable and longer-range models available. The 2022 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy included an annual vans mileage assumption range of 11,500 to 14,000, equivalent to an average of approximately 44 to 54 miles per weekday. Most electric LCVs already available on the market offer ranges that significantly exceed this.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions Ministers and officials have had since 4 July 2024 with representatives of the maritime industry, maritime training providers and trade unions on barriers to employing 16 and 17-year-old seafarers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Ministers and officials regularly engage with the maritime industry, maritime training providers and trade unions. 16 and 17-year-olds wishing to become seafarers can undertake training to do so. The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping, 1978, as amended, requires that to obtain certificates for certain seafarer positions you must be at least 18 years old.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department or National Highways has undertaken any assessment of the potential use of tolling or road user charging on roads funded through Roads Investment Strategy 3.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

With the exception of the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), there are no plans for tolling or road user charging on roads funded through Roads Investment Strategy 3, other than where such arrangements are already in place.

LTC will be financed using the Regulated Asset Base model as this is the best way of reducing the cost burden of the project to taxpayers. To do this, the model harnesses private investment, with a link through to charges on users, who are ultimately major beneficiaries of the scheme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2026 to Question 13039 on Aviation: Antisocial Behaviour, whether her Department holds data on the proportion of incidents involving disruptive or unruly airline passengers in which alcohol was identified as a contributing factor.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not collect or hold data on the proportion of incidents involving disruptive or unruly airline passengers in which alcohol was identified as a contributing factor. Airlines and airports may collect this data as part of their reporting practices.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2026 to Question 10713 on Railways: CCTV, whether the Network Rail programme will connect all Network Rail-managed station CCTV into the single cloud-based system; and what categories of railway CCTV will remain outside the system once the programme has been completed.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Further to the Answer of 26 June 2026 to Question 10713, the rail CCTV connectivity project is in its start-up phase. Network Rail is delivering the project on behalf of the rail industry and will use an agreed model, currently being developed, to prioritise the connection of station CCTV to the cloud-based system. The requested details will be available in 2027/28.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2026 to Question 11747 on International Broadcasting, whether any Minister in her Department has had discussions with stakeholders on Western international broadcasting capacity in (a) Africa, (b) the Middle East and (c) South and South East Asia since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is not aware of any such discussions, but details of all ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published by the FCDO in its quarterly transparency releases.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 11742 on British Overseas Territories, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of each monitoring visit undertaken by officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to British Overseas Territories since 4 July 2024, broken down by (a) destination and (b) visit.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Ministers met with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee to discuss its advice on floating bus stops during the preparation of the statutory guidance published on 26 January 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee provided comments on the draft guidance as part of the consultation process established by the Bus Services Act 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has taken steps to identify alternative sources of Government funding for the restoration of Hammersmith Bridge, other than the Structures Fund.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As the asset owner, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham has responsibility for funding the repair and maintenance of Hammersmith Bridge.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2026, to Question 3552, on Parking Offences: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, if she will publish the formal application and associated correspondence requesting the trial of higher parking fines.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not routinely publish such correspondence.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026, to Question 13237, on Department for Transport: Public Relations, how much spending has there been on these contracts since July 2024.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many habitat management plans Network Rail has produced in each of the last five financial years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Network Rail confirms that 188 site-specific habitat management plans have been produced in the last five financial years.

Found: This includes Sir Ashley Fox MP’s request that a probation roadshow be held for Justice Select Committee

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Janet Daby; Sir Ashley Fox; Warinder Juss