Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2026 to Question 38138 on Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling, whether she expects her Department to publish the consultation (a) before the end of 2026 or (b) in 2027.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Details of all future departmental publications will be set out in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 112537 on Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling, what progress his Department has made in preparing its consultation on alcohol labelling; and when he plans to publish the consultation.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Department officials are preparing the necessary documentation and engaging across Government, and will publish this consultation in due course.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has considered introducing additional Vehicle Excise Duty charges for larger or heavier passenger vehicles.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as 'road tax' or 'car tax', is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, heavy goods vehicles and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.
There is currently a rolling 40-year exemption from VED for classic cars. Currently, vehicles constructed before 1 January 1986 are exempt from paying VED. From 1 April 2027 vehicles constructed before 1 January 1987 will become exempt from VED.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has considered introducing additional Vehicle Excise Duty charges for vehicles over 10 years old.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as 'road tax' or 'car tax', is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, heavy goods vehicles and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.
There is currently a rolling 40-year exemption from VED for classic cars. Currently, vehicles constructed before 1 January 1986 are exempt from paying VED. From 1 April 2027 vehicles constructed before 1 January 1987 will become exempt from VED.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce additional taxation on diesel-powered passenger vehicles.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government recognises the pressures faced by drivers and other fuel users from price increases from the conflict in the Middle East. At Budget the Chancellor announced the Government is extending the 5 pence per litre (ppl) fuel duty cut by a further six months to July 2027 and delaying uprating until the same date, providing breathing space to motorists whilst prices are high. Therefore, fuel duty will remain at 52.95ppl for both petrol and diesel to July 2027.
The government’s decisions on fuel duty across this Parliament will save the average car driver £230, the average van driver saves £472 and the average heavy goods driver nearly £4000 compared to plans under the previous government, and means petrol and diesel will be 15p per litre cheaper from April 2027.
Recognising the importance of the haulage sector, the Government also announced a 12-month vehicle excise duty (VED) holiday for the majority of heavy goods vehicles, with hauliers and operators of fuel based refrigerated road transport also benefiting from the extension of the 5p fuel duty cut.
Rail freight is eligible for red diesel entitlement to avoid perverse environmental outcomes, namely transferring rail freight or passengers to more polluting lorries, coaches and cars if costs rose. Red diesel is taxed at 6.48ppl following the introduction of a 3.7ppl cut, which at Budget the government announced will be extended to 1 July 2027.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps fuel duty under review; and any changes are announced at fiscal events.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce different rates of fuel duty for petrol and diesel.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government recognises the pressures faced by drivers and other fuel users from price increases from the conflict in the Middle East. At Budget the Chancellor announced the Government is extending the 5 pence per litre (ppl) fuel duty cut by a further six months to July 2027 and delaying uprating until the same date, providing breathing space to motorists whilst prices are high. Therefore, fuel duty will remain at 52.95ppl for both petrol and diesel to July 2027.
The government’s decisions on fuel duty across this Parliament will save the average car driver £230, the average van driver saves £472 and the average heavy goods driver nearly £4000 compared to plans under the previous government, and means petrol and diesel will be 15p per litre cheaper from April 2027.
Recognising the importance of the haulage sector, the Government also announced a 12-month vehicle excise duty (VED) holiday for the majority of heavy goods vehicles, with hauliers and operators of fuel based refrigerated road transport also benefiting from the extension of the 5p fuel duty cut.
Rail freight is eligible for red diesel entitlement to avoid perverse environmental outcomes, namely transferring rail freight or passengers to more polluting lorries, coaches and cars if costs rose. Red diesel is taxed at 6.48ppl following the introduction of a 3.7ppl cut, which at Budget the government announced will be extended to 1 July 2027.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps fuel duty under review; and any changes are announced at fiscal events.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase Vehicle Excise Duty rates for motorcycles.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as 'road tax' or 'car tax', is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.
The HGV levy ensures UK and non-UK HGVs contribute when using the UK’s road network. Revenue from vehicle taxes such as VED and the HGV levy helps to fund vital public services and infrastructure, including investment in roads and transport.
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of vehicle taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the economic consequences of a decision not to proceed with expansion at Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The needs case for Heathrow Expansion is set out in the draft HENPS with the supporting costs and benefits forming the economic case set out in the Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report (HEAR). This assesses the economic, connectivity and environmental impacts of Heathrow expansion against a counterfactual without expansion. The estimated benefits of expansion represent the difference between these modelled scenarios and are presented in two ways, the first the welfare benefits of expanding Heathrow in line with the departments Transport Analysis Guidance; and secondly, an assessment of the GDP benefits of expanding Heathrow.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date her Department first informed each relevant local authority that its scheme would be withdrawn or removed from the Major Road Network and Large Local Majors programme following the review announced in her Written Ministerial Statement of 26 March 2026, HCWS1466.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following a review of the Major Road Network/Large Local Majors (MRN/LLM) Programme, relevant local authorities were informed that their schemes were being removed from the Programme on 8th October 2026.
The above confirmation was part of the finalisation of the MRN/LLM Programme Review and letters were sent to Mayors, local MPs and Council Leaders on this date.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether all Government departments have agreed to the proposed designation of Heathrow expansion as Critical National Growth Infrastructure in the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As part of developing the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS), the Department for Transport engaged with relevant Government departments on its content, including the proposed designation of development covered by the HENPS as Critical National Growth Infrastructure. The draft HENPS also went through the process of collective agreement where clearance was obtained from a wide range of departments across government to publish the draft HENPS and accompanying documents for consultation.