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, what documentation her Department is preparing ahead of the consultation; and whether that includes (a) draft policy options, (b) draft labelling requirements and (c) an impact assessment.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Details of all future departmental publications, including the content of those publications, will be set out in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the National Highways Agency on closures of the M5 between Junction 22 and Junction 24.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not held discussions with National Highways about the closures of the M5 between junctions 22 and 24.
National Highways has delegated authority to make operational and maintenance delivery decisions, particularly where action is required to address safety, network resilience or another emergency to maintain the safe and effective operation of the network.
National Highways considers that the restrictions are necessary to renew safety barriers and drainage assets in the central reservation which are approaching the end of their service life. These works are essential to maintain the safety and resilience of the M5 through Somerset. National Highways has briefed Somerset Council and coordinated the overnight closures to avoid clashes with the Somerset carnival season.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards her Department has put in place to ensure that input from schools and academy trusts involved in developing the proposed MIS procurement framework is assessed impartially; and whether participants are required to declare any current contractual dispute with a MIS supplier.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
All participants of the department’s Management Information Systems (MIS) sector working group were required to complete a ‘conflicts of interests’ declaration. No declarations received identified a contractual dispute with an MIS supplier.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2026 to Question 37036 on Parking: Taxation, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the provisions of the Transport Act 2000 relating to workplace parking levies.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is considering in the round all locally held powers and central government sign-off requirements as part of its Rewiring the State agenda.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2026 to Question 33822, whether her Department has (a) made and (b) holds updated assessments of the potential impact of SAF buyout payments on air fares since the publication of the 2024 SAF Mandate Cost Benefit Analysis.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The most recent assessment remains the SAF Mandate Cost Benefit Analysis published in 2024, which considered a range of scenarios, including those in which the buyout mechanism was used. The actual impact on air fares will depend on a range of factors, including future SAF prices and supply. Any revision to estimates will be undertaken as part of future policy development, taking account of emerging evidence and analysis.
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.