Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration has been given to the potential merits of using powers in the Procurement Act 2023 to block non-treaty states from procurement of zero emissions buses following the announcement of departmental funding for 484 electric buses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The procurement of buses is carried out by Local Transport Authorities or bus operators, not the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's document entitled 10-year zero emission bus order pipeline, published on 16 March 2026, how many of the total zero emission bus purchases over the next 10 years are estimated to be for bus fleets in Scotland.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The 10‑year zero‑emission bus order pipeline published on 16 March 2026 does not provide a specific estimate for how many of the forecast UK‑wide zero‑emission bus purchases are expected to be for bus fleets in Scotland.
The Department’s dataset is based on voluntary returns from bus operators and local transport authorities across Great Britain. Data from bus operators was supplied at an aggregate level, not split by region.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to UIN 116915, how regularly are Capita reporting the number of outstanding backlog Civil Service Pension cases to the Cabinet Office.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.
Capita provides the Cabinet Office with data regarding the number of outstanding Civil Service Pension backlog cases on a weekly basis. This regular reporting ensures the Department maintains continuous oversight of performance levels and progress against recovery targets. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. The recovery plan is organised into intensive three-week sprints to stabilise the service.
We are applying contractual levers available to us to deal with performance failures, and we continue to explore all commercial avenues to hold them to account for the quality of their delivery. For example, existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
Further details are available by using this web link (latest update 16 March):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-16-march-2026
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has held discussions with Cabinet colleagues to help support the rise in Zero Emission bus demand being met by British-based manufacturers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport Ministers regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of issues, including British bus manufacturing. The Government is committed to supporting the long-term strength and competitiveness of our bus manufacturing sector. In March 2025, the Minister for Roads and Buses launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, bringing together industry experts and local leaders to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing. A key objective of the panel is to develop a pipeline of future bus orders to give better planning certainty to the sector and UK-based manufacturers, which was published on 16 March 2026.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to require local authority bus operators to run procurement operations with Government money that include consideration of social value weighting.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department recognises the importance of social value in public procurement, and government procurement policy requires Central Government Departments to apply a minimum 10% weighting. Whilst this 10% minimum weighting is not mandatory for Local Authorities, many already apply this voluntarily.
The UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, which ran from March 2025 to March 2026, concluded with a set of agreed mayoral commitments on zero emission buses including:
The agreed commitments, can be found here: link.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of levels of pension credit take up by Military veterans.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for Work and Pensions treats its responsibilities under the Armed Forces Covenant very seriously and through a network of Armed Forces Champions in Jobcentres, for example, provides expert help and support, including help with benefits, to those veterans who need it most.
Information on the levels of Pension Credit take up by Military Veterans is not available.
The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics cover the financial year 2023 to 2024 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2024 - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when officials in her Department first discussed the intention to extend the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme with (a) Angus Robertson and (b) his officials.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Heritage funding and policy for Scotland is a devolved matter. DCMS officials engage with the Scottish Government on an ad hoc basis regarding developments and relevant issues including on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS).
The LPWGS was extended for one year only from 1 April 2025. The website was updated in July 2025 to show that the scheme would run until March 31st 2026 or until the budget of £23 million was exhausted.
Official-level engagement has included an email exchange in January 2025 noting the scheme's extension for one year only and stating that there would be an upcoming review during the Autumn 2025 Spending Review. There was a subsequent meeting on 6 February 2025 to discuss further detail. Following email correspondence in January 2026, a meeting on 17 February 2026 was held to discuss the intention to close the LPWGS.
Details of ministerial meetings can be found in the quarterly ministerial transparency returns.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she publish a list of all meeting her ministers and officials have held with the Scottish Government since July 2024 in which the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was discussed.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Heritage funding and policy for Scotland is a devolved matter. DCMS officials engage with the Scottish Government on an ad hoc basis regarding developments and relevant issues including on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS).
The LPWGS was extended for one year only from 1 April 2025. The website was updated in July 2025 to show that the scheme would run until March 31st 2026 or until the budget of £23 million was exhausted.
Official-level engagement has included an email exchange in January 2025 noting the scheme's extension for one year only and stating that there would be an upcoming review during the Autumn 2025 Spending Review. There was a subsequent meeting on 6 February 2025 to discuss further detail. Following email correspondence in January 2026, a meeting on 17 February 2026 was held to discuss the intention to close the LPWGS.
Details of ministerial meetings can be found in the quarterly ministerial transparency returns.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure consumers are protected from oil price increases.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government is engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. Households should be reassured the UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, and there are no issues with fuel supply.
The government recognises the pressures facing households who rely on heating oil. This is why we are providing an additional £53 million of targeted support for those vulnerable households who would struggle to pay an upfront lump sum to top up their tanks in order to maintain their heating and hot water.
This funding has been allocated based on census data, reflecting where the greatest need is. Northern Ireland will receive £17.2 million, England £27 million, Scotland £4.6 million, and Wales £3.8 million.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on monitoring fuel prices during volatility in global oil markets.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury officials have discussed with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the work they are doing to maintain a high level of vigilance for unjustifiable price increases across the economy, including for fuel prices. The Chancellor has written to Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, expressing support for the CMA’s work to ensure customers are not affected by undue price rises, including for road fuel. Letter to the CMA on vigilance for unjustifiable price increases.
The Chancellor and DESNZ’s Secretary of State met with petrol retailers and the CMA on 13th March to discuss where further action can be taken on monitoring fuel prices and supporting the cost of living.