Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that privacy protections do not prevent public scrutiny of political donors.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is strengthening the rules on political donations to increase transparency and accountability, protect against foreign or illicit influence, and maintain public confidence in our democratic system.
Reportable donations are already published by the Electoral Commission for public scrutiny, and we intend, through secondary legislation, to commence existing declaration requirements for donations above the relevant threshold. This will require anyone making a political donation above £11,180 to declare any benefits linked to their donation. This will improve transparency around the true source of a donation. A political party must not accept a donation above that threshold unless the declaration is provided.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Warm Homes Plan’s funding allocation on the retention of the skilled retrofit workforce; and what steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are included in delivery frameworks for home energy upgrades.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan will create 180,000 high-quality jobs in energy efficiency and clean heating by 2030. Chapter Six of the plan outlines the actions that the Government will be taking to support and facilitate growth, jobs and innovation. This includes establishing a new Workforce Taskforce in partnership with the Trade Unions Congress, the £8 million Warm Homes Skills Programme, and an extension of the Heat Training Grant.
I also recently led the ECO Supply Chain Transition Task and Finish Working Group which met on Tuesday 17 March to discuss support for the workforce affected by the closure of ECO. The group will coordinate sub-contracting and unblock barriers to SMEs and local supply chains accessing additional work on our expanded capital investment programmes.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to review the legal requirements for e-bike identification and rider accountability, in light of the challenges in prosecuting riders involved in serious collisions with pedestrians.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Only e-bikes that comply with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) Regulations 1983 are legal to use on the roads.
While the Government has no plans to introduce new rider identification requirements for road legal bikes, it is the case that e-bikes which do not comply with the EAPC Regulations are classed as motor vehicles. This means they must be registered, taxed and insured. The rider must also wear a safety helmet and hold a driving licence. The police have the powers to seize such e-bikes that have not been appropriately registered as motor vehicles.
In addition, new offences for cyclists who cause the death or serious injury of another person are being introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill. This will mean that cyclists will face the same penalties as those who commit motoring offences.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Secretary of State for Transport's correspondence entitled The growing risks to maritime safety, published 26 January 2026, what assessment his Department has made of the security implications of shadow fleet vessels operating in the North Sea, North Atlantic, and Baltic; and what steps the Royal Navy is taking alongside international allies to enforce maritime regulations against specific sanctioned vessels, including the Baro, Rimma, Mariel, Maylo, Viking, Prosperity, and Breeze, to prevent sanction evasion and protect the UK’s maritime environment.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for the UK, and we are working closely with our allies and partners to do so including sharing information through the Joint Maritime Security Centre.
The Royal Navy constantly monitors activity in UK waters, remaining ready and prepared to respond to any threats and to support our allies.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of encouraging low-density development within walking distance of well connected stations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Encouraging low-density development within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations is contrary to this government’s objectives.
As such, we did not include proposals to that end as part of the consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that took place between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026 and we have made no specific assessment of any such policy.
The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to minimum density standards within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the value for money of the decision by National Highways to block up the Queensbury Tunnel in the Bradford Metropolitan District.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Sustrans (now called Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust) produced a report for Bradford Council that assessed the Benefit Cost Ratios (BCR) of the active travel route options. The options included routes that would use the Queensbury Tunnel. The report made clear that the BCR scored for the routes were all very close indicating that none of them represented significantly better value for money over the others. Funding for an Active Travel route is the responsibility of the Local Authority. Therefore, without a clear commitment from either Bradford Council or West Yorkshire Combined Authority to provide funding for an active travel route utilising the tunnel, the difficult decision was taken to close the tunnel, subject to the appropriate planning approvals.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the potential impact of the proposed timeline for the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild programme on the involvement of the new unitary authorities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Published on 17 March 2026, the Neighbourhood Health Framework empowers local leaders to develop and scale neighbourhood health. It provides clarity and consistency to support joined-up partnership between integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities, and other partners. Through Health and Wellbeing Boards, they will work together to develop locally led Neighbourhood Health Plans and align approaches to commissioning to support the integration of health and care services. However, local ICBs will remain directly responsible for commissioning services within Neighbourhood Health Centres and not the local authority.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what urgent steps she will take to protect national security further to her Department's publication entitled National security assessment on global ecosystems, updated on 2 February 2026.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 20 January, the Government published the Nature Security Assessment which examined the potential impacts that may arise from global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. The assessment reinforces the importance of protecting nature as a foundation of the UK’s security, prosperity and resilience. In response, the Government is already taking action to address the risks identified, including significant investment in nature and forests at home and overseas. This includes meeting the International Climate Finance (ICF) 3 spending target of at least £11.6 billion over the period 2021 to 2026.
The Government recognises that food security is national security and is investing £11.8 billion this Parliament to support sustainable domestic farming, alongside action to strengthen supply chain resilience. These measures sit alongside wider domestic action to restore nature, including record levels of tree planting, peatland restoration, improved water quality and stronger protection of the marine environment, forming part of the UK’s broader approach to reducing the security risks associated with biodiversity loss.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to (a) her confirmation of 24 March 2026 that her Department accepts Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with FS0756 Betchwood Vale Academy, (b) the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 27008 on Free Schools, Dorking, and (c) the Minister for Early Education’s letter (ref. 20245-0039819) of 24 December 2024, what the status is of each of the reports and surveys completed in support of the initial planning application submitted by the Department which in February 2025 were in the process of being reviewed and refreshed by the Department’s appointed construction contractor; and what plans and timetable the Department has to engage with Mole Valley District Council planning officers to progress a new or revised planning application.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department confirmed Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with Betchwood Vale Academy on 24 March. Officials are working on a new delivery programme and will be in contact with Surrey County Council and the Trust to discuss next steps. A review of all planning documentation will be required before a new or revised planning application can be submitted.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Measure What Matters' report entitled National Testimony Collection, published on 16 October 2025, what steps her Department is taking to address failures by local authorities to comply with guidance on the provision of SEND support to children, including those with an education, health and care plan.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Schools White Paper sets out unequivocal expectations for every local authority on the quality and timeliness of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, including planning school places effectively and providing the expert support that schools and families need, with significant investment in local authorities to transform SEND support.
In March 2026 we commissioned local authorities, together with their integrated care boards, to develop SEND reform plans by June 2026.
The department will use these plans to hold them accountable to deliver strong outcomes for children and young people with SEND and will act decisively where progress does not materialise. Where failure is persistent, we will not hesitate to use the full range of intervention powers including removing the licence to deliver SEND services.