Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her department has to ensure that the road safety strategy includes provisions to support lorry driver welfare.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 7 January 2026 the Department for Transport published the Government’s 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 Government expects the employers or engagers of anyone driving or riding for work to ensure that they are as safe as possible on the roads. Working with industry we will pilot a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses that require people to drive or ride for them, including considering the use of HGVs. The Charter will aim to help employers to reduce work-related road risk and improve safety for all road users by promoting good practice, and to improve compliance with current legislation and guidance.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, i) how much funding in total was granted to applicants to the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme ii) how much of this funding came directly from matched funding from the Department for Transport and iii) whether the department plans to re-open the scheme for further applications.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The total amount of government funding contractually committed to improvement projects for the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme, as of 19 March 2026, is £13,599,303.45.
The scheme held three application windows. The table below sets out awards and spending to date per window as of 19 March 2026. Projects that were cancelled by operators after notification of an award are not included in these figures.
Application window opened | Total awarded | Total - spend to date |
Window 1 - Nov 2022 | £5,427,497.05 | £4,754,717.54 |
Window 2 - Sept 2023 | £4,778,778.09 | £4,335,848.03 |
Window 3 - May 2024 | £3,393,028.31 | £1,852,762.51 |
Overall MFGS | £13,599,303.45 | £10,943,328.08 |
There are no plans for further windows of the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Scheme.
Funding for further lorry parking improvements is planned for the third road investment strategy (RIS3) as part of the Customer and Community Designated Funds, subject to confirmation of the National Highways RIS3 settlement.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of the role of the UK’s digital terrestrial television network in supporting national resilience and emergency communications.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government understands the importance of everyone being able to access information in times of national emergency. Both television and radio play a vital role in providing such access for a range of different emergency scenarios, including scenarios where other communications may be disrupted.
The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications in a range of scenarios.
The Government’s project looking into the future of TV distribution is considering a range of relevant factors, including the future resilience requirements for broadcast networks. It is important that audiences continue to receive consistent levels of service regardless of how they receive their television, and ensuring that this can happen will be a priority for the project.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of i) truck stops and ii) Motorway service areas have received any non self-certified security accreditation.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government does not operate a mandated or voluntary lorry parking security accreditation system. Trucks stops and Motorway Service Areas set their own security standards unless they voluntarily join a private accreditation scheme. Therefore, the Department for Transport does not hold this information.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised through the domestic VAT charge on heating oil and liquid petroleum gas since the outbreak conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran on 28 February 2026.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services, including VAT on heating oil and liquid petroleum gas.
This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.
VAT is chargeable at the reduced rate of 5% on domestic fuel and power.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including household Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) data in the methodology used to allocate support funding to each UK nation for heating oil and LPG‑heated properties announced on 16 March 2026.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government has acted quickly to provide timely, targeted support to those households struggling with the rising price of heating oil.
In England, Crisis Payments can be provided by local authorities to support the purchase of any form of fuel that is used for domestic heating, cooking or lighting.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is for the relevant devolved government to deliver support as they see fit.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to require the BBC, as part of the next BBC Charter, to continue to distribute its services through platforms that do not require a fixed broadband connection to receive them.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The BBC Charter Review was officially launched on 16 December with the publication of the Terms of Reference and Green Paper. The Charter Review is looking at a range of issues to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country, including the broadcast technologies the BBC should use to deliver its services. The Government is now considering responses to the public consultation, and these will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter. Decisions will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.
The White Paper will also be informed by the Government’s project to assess the future of TV distribution. Once the Government’s approach to the future of TV distribution has been decided in consultation with the public, we will need to consider how the BBC’s obligations might need to change, and how the BBC can make sure that no one is left behind in any transition to online viewing by centering digital inclusion in its services and activities.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the role of free to air terrestrial television in supporting the reach and universality of the BBC as part of the ongoing BBC Charter Review.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The BBC Charter Review was officially launched on 16 December with the publication of the Terms of Reference and Green Paper. The Charter Review is looking at a range of issues to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country, including the broadcast technologies the BBC should use to deliver its services. The Government is now considering responses to the public consultation, and these will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter. Decisions will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.
The White Paper will also be informed by the Government’s project to assess the future of TV distribution. Once the Government’s approach to the future of TV distribution has been decided in consultation with the public, we will need to consider how the BBC’s obligations might need to change, and how the BBC can make sure that no one is left behind in any transition to online viewing by centering digital inclusion in its services and activities.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultations were had with the (a) fuel distribution industry and the (b) Welsh government on the development of the support package for households in Wales using heating oil and Liquid Petroleum gas as heating methods announced on 16 March 2026.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government has acted quickly to provide timely, targeted support for those households struggling with the rising price of heating oil.
Officials from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have coordinated closely with industry since the conflict in the Middle East began, and continue to do so.
I have discussed this support with all devolved government Finance Ministers. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is for the relevant devolved government to deliver support as they see fit.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of further income tax power devolution to Wales following her announcement on 17 March 2026 to pursue devolution of income tax powers in England.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor announced on 17th March that she will set out a roadmap at Budget for giving English regional leaders a share of some national taxes. This will include looking at income tax, alongside other taxes. It is not about new taxes or higher tax rates.
The Welsh Senedd already has significant income tax powers. This was the product of a lengthy process of debate and development, including the Silk Commission’s first report, the Wales Act 2014, and the Wales Act 2017. Consideration of any further income tax devolution would be a matter for discussion between the Welsh and UK Governments and be subject to consensus in Wales and the agreement of both the UK Parliament and the Senedd.