Baroness Pidgeon

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 11th December is attached.

The Baroness Pidgeon MBE

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

17 December 2024

Dear Lady Pidgeon,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question, asking what assessment has been made of the number of jobs in (1) the bicycle manufacturing industry, (2) the e-bike manufacturing industry, and (3) the supply chains of the bicycle and e-bike manufacturing industries (HL3406).

The estimated number of employees in Great Britain working in the manufacture of bicycles and invalid carriages in 2023 was 2,700, according to the latest available data from the Business Register and Employment Survey1.

The latest UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 20072 does not have a unique classification for the manufacture of e-bikes, therefore we are unable to provide an estimate of jobs for this industry.

The supply chain of the bicycle and e-bike manufacturing industries could include a large number of different industrial classifications. We do not hold information on which industries are part of these supply chains and therefore are unable to provide an estimate for the number of jobs in the UK for supply chain industries.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

There are no changes to vehicle safety standards in the General Terms of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. Before placing a vehicle on the market in Great Britain, a vehicle manufacturer must demonstrate that it complies with the relevant regulatory requirements as set out in the GB Type Approval scheme. Upholding these standards remains a UK priority.

In addition, the UK-US deal does not change Britain’s high animal welfare and environmental standards. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that agricultural imports coming into the UK meet the highest food safety standards.

There are no changes to vehicle safety standards in the General Terms of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. Before placing a vehicle on the market in Great Britain, a vehicle manufacturer must demonstrate that it complies with the relevant regulatory requirements as set out in the GB Type Approval scheme. Upholding these standards remains a UK priority.

In addition, the UK-US deal does not change Britain's high animal welfare and environmental standards. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that agricultural imports coming into the UK meet the highest food safety standards.

The role and remit of the UK Battery Strategy Taskforce has evolved since its inception, and the publication of the UK Battery Strategy, in 2023.

The Taskforce consistently uses their collective expertise to provide a robust challenge function to assist the Department for Business and Trade achieve a successful and effective implementation of the UK Battery Strategy.

Whilst its remit does not directly include consideration of standardised battery health testing for electric vehicles, the Taskforce seeks to identify important knowledge gaps where further research and/or evidence gathering should be considered.

• The UK Battery Strategy taskforce continues to meet regularly, bringing together officials, key industry stakeholders and academia to ensure that the UK battery ecosystem delivers prosperity, growth and economic security.
• Engagement with the UK sector through the taskforce has informed DBT’s approach to the Industrial Strategy.
• Advanced Manufacturing is one of the 8 key growth driving sectors at the heart of the Industrial Strategy. This will be an opportunity to signal our commitment to driving investment into the UK battery sector.
• Our sector plan will take advantage of the UK’s strengths, including our high-quality research institutions and innovative firms, in order to drive sustainable economic growth.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is leading a programme of action to tackle the causes of fires in e-bikes and e-scooters. This includes targeted regulatory action, working with Local Authority Trading Standards at ports and borders, to identify non-compliant businesses and prevent unsafe products entering the market.

OPSS has published 21 product recalls and 28 product safety reports covering regulators’ interventions on e-bikes and e-scooters, lithium-ion batteries and chargers, since 2022.

OPSS’ enforcement actions are published on gov.uk quarterly. Information on products that present risks are published on the Product Recalls and Alerts site on gov.uk.

As set out in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, we are considering expanding the Clean Industry Bonus to hydrogen and will consult on any proposals. We are currently developing a new Hydrogen Strategy and will provide an update on this in due course.

In addition to considering the Clean Industry Bonus, we have a strong offer for domestic manufacturing including support from our Public Finance Institutions and deployment certainty through Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HARs). Additionally, we welcome the industry-led voluntary ambition of 50% UK local content for hydrogen across the value chain from 2030.

The UK is optimally positioned to support a thriving hydrogen economy with UK companies at the forefront of hydrogen technology development.

Our approach to hydrogen balances comprehensive funding support with long-term stability, which continues to unlock significant investment.

The EU, and individual EU member states, are important partners for our shared ambitions to scale up our hydrogen sectors quickly and create opportunities for UK companies. And, as the UK Trade Strategy makes clear, supporting our businesses to grow through trade is key to future economic growth.

The Department is working closely with Ofgem, the National Energy System Operator, and network companies on fundamental reforms to the connections process. This is expected to release up to 500GW of capacity from the queue enabling quicker connections for many demand projects. This may include acceleration of shore power projects where capacity is released in port locations.

As announced in the Industrial Strategy, my department is also developing measures to accelerate the connection of strategic demand projects in a wide range of sectors, including through a new Connections Accelerator Service, to be launched this year.

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) is not a regulator. Responsibility for regulating pavement robots and drones lies with the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority, respectively. One of the RIO’s current focuses is 'drones & other autonomous technology', which includes pavement robots, a promising technology for the UK. The RIO is working with the Department for Transport to understand the regulatory interventions the government could take to stimulate their rollout in the UK.

Every child in care should have a safe and loving home which is also value for money for the taxpayer.

In their 2022 report, the Competition and Markets Authority estimated that the operating profit margins for large children’s social care providers between 2016 and 2020 were 22.6% for children’s homes, 19.4% for Independent Fostering Agencies and 35.5% for supported accommodation.

The department is clear that profiteering from vulnerable children in care is absolutely unacceptable and the department is committed to stamping out profiteering where it occurs in the children’s social care placement market.

On 18 November 2024, the department published its policy paper ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, setting out ambitious reforms across children’s social care. As part of these, the department is taking forward a package of measures, including through legislation, to rebalance the children’s social care placement market, covering children’s homes, independent fostering agencies and supported accommodation. These measures will improve competition, regulation and commissioning of placements and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying and the profits providers are making. If the department does not see a reduction in profiteering, the department will not hesitate to take action to cap providers’ profits.

The department will bring forward legislation when parliamentary time allows.

Every child in care should have a safe and loving home which is also value for money for the taxpayer.

In their 2022 report, the Competition and Markets Authority estimated that the operating profit margins for large children’s social care providers between 2016 and 2020 were 22.6% for children’s homes, 19.4% for Independent Fostering Agencies and 35.5% for supported accommodation.

The department is clear that profiteering from vulnerable children in care is absolutely unacceptable and the department is committed to stamping out profiteering where it occurs in the children’s social care placement market.

On 18 November 2024, the department published its policy paper ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, setting out ambitious reforms across children’s social care. As part of these, the department is taking forward a package of measures, including through legislation, to rebalance the children’s social care placement market, covering children’s homes, independent fostering agencies and supported accommodation. These measures will improve competition, regulation and commissioning of placements and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying and the profits providers are making. If the department does not see a reduction in profiteering, the department will not hesitate to take action to cap providers’ profits.

The department will bring forward legislation when parliamentary time allows.

Every child in care should have a safe and loving home which is also value for money for the taxpayer.

In their 2022 report, the Competition and Markets Authority estimated that the operating profit margins for large children’s social care providers between 2016 and 2020 were 22.6% for children’s homes, 19.4% for Independent Fostering Agencies and 35.5% for supported accommodation.

The department is clear that profiteering from vulnerable children in care is absolutely unacceptable and the department is committed to stamping out profiteering where it occurs in the children’s social care placement market.

On 18 November 2024, the department published its policy paper ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, setting out ambitious reforms across children’s social care. As part of these, the department is taking forward a package of measures, including through legislation, to rebalance the children’s social care placement market, covering children’s homes, independent fostering agencies and supported accommodation. These measures will improve competition, regulation and commissioning of placements and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying and the profits providers are making. If the department does not see a reduction in profiteering, the department will not hesitate to take action to cap providers’ profits.

The department will bring forward legislation when parliamentary time allows.

As announced in December’s English Devolution White Paper, the Government will legislate to empower local leaders to regulate hire bike schemes. These powers will enable local authorities to better identify and tackle issues arising from schemes, such as antisocial behaviour.

Dumped e-bikes are an eyesore and nuisance however they represent a very low pollution risk overall to river water quality. This is because the amount of pollution that could come from them is extremely small when considering overall dilution by the river. However, they should be removed as soon as possible to minimise any risk from degradation of batteries etc, which over time could release low levels of pollution.

The EA use their permissive powers to carry out routine maintenance on some designated main rivers, which includes obstruction removal.

We welcome the Climate Change Committee’s constructive assessment, recognising the progress that has been made in planning for climate change across our transport system and the economy, as well as areas for improvement.

As part of our Plan for Change we are investing a record £2.65 billion to repair and build flood defences, protecting tens of thousands of homes and businesses and helping local communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change such as overheating and drought.

One of the core objectives of the government’s forthcoming 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy is enabling resilient growth. This includes ensuring that growth is resilient to climate change. The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will set out how flood risk management infrastructure, and other actions to increase resilience to the physical effects of climate change, can protect existing, and enable new, economic activity.

We are considering the Climate Change Committee’s Progress Report and will respond to its recommendations in October as required by the Climate Change Act.

On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035. Delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board chaired by the Minister for Local Transport.

The Board is currently under development and decisions regarding membership and format will be made in due course.

The new Road Safety Strategy sets out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. This includes consulting on a Minimum Learning Period before learner drivers can take their test. This would allow learners more time to gain essential experience, for example in different weather conditions, before driving independently and reduce the risk to themselves and other drivers.

Learner drivers are already able to gain experience in both night‑time and motorway driving under the current system. Since June 2018, learners have been permitted to take motorway driving lessons with an approved driving instructor in a dual‑controlled car, which provides structured exposure to higher‑speed environments before they take their test.

While night driving is not mandatory, it is already covered within the DVSA‑recommended syllabus, and many instructors introduce it as part of their training programmes where appropriate.

The Government will consider all responses to the Minimum Learning Period consultation before deciding on next steps and a response to the consultation will be published in due course.

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

The Strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the changes and challenges faced by motorcycle riders and to consider ways to modernise and improve the current system of motorcycle training, testing and licensing whilst maintaining quality and road safety standards. Therefore, the government has announced a consultation on an ambitious package of reforms to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain. This consultation, which opened on 7 January and will close on 31 March, will help inform a targeted review of the training, testing and licensing regime.

Beyond significant carbon savings, the transition to zero emission HGVs is expected to reduce overall air pollution from road transport including through reduced noise pollution and improvements in air quality, leading to better public health.

The consultation explores the potential regulatory design of a new framework and all options remain on the table. A full impact assessment will accompany any final proposal for regulation.

On 22 December 2025 the Department for Transport published a call for evidence to gather views and update our evidence base on crop-derived sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The call for evidence will improve our understanding of the impacts and interactions of deploying crop feedstocks in SAF on feedstock availability, industrial development, and on sustainability. This will include considering the impact on food prices, biodiversity, and investment in waste-based biofuels and e-fuels.

This reflects our commitment to ensure our policies are informed by the best and most recent evidence. The call for evidence does not propose any changes to the SAF Mandate. In the light of the responses to the call for evidence, should there be a case to review the feedstock eligibility criteria, it would be subject to consultation before any legislative change.