Grahame Morris

The Government recognises the sacrifices made by so many veterans and the huge debt of gratitude owed to those who have served their country.

The current pattern of UK bank holidays is well established and accepted. Whilst an additional bank holiday may benefit some sectors, the cost to the economy of an additional bank holiday remains considerable. The latest analysis estimates the cost to the UK economy for a one-off bank holiday to be around £2bn.

The Secretary of State continues to have ongoing discussions with Cabinet colleagues concerning Departmental business.

Safety procedures for offshore wind farms is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE recently served a prohibition notice to the Seagreen offshore wind farm developer under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.

The Secretary of State continues to have ongoing discussions with Cabinet colleagues, the offshore wind industry and trade unions concerning Departmental business.

The collision involving the Wind of Hope vessel was reported to the appropriate authorities. It will be a matter for the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch.

No such payments have been made.

Information from the Trustees indicates that, as of 9 September 2024, there were 1,143 members who had yet to receive their pension because they have deferred.

No such payments have been made.

The safety and wellbeing of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) worked with relevant stakeholders to develop the first ever set of shared concussion guidelines for grassroots sport across the UK, which were published in April 2023, marking a significant step forward for safety in sport.

DCMS also provides funding to Sport England, its Arm's-Length Body for grassroots sport. Sport England provides support to the sport and physical activity sector around safeguarding, including funding the Ann Craft Trust and the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit. This totalled £330,917 and £527,525 respectively in 2024/25.

Latest figures for the 2023/24 academic year show that there have been 50 starts on the Level 2 Seafarer (deck rating) apprenticeship standard.

This government has not made a formal assessment of the cost of providing free school meals to all primary school children.

The department is separately committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school to ensure children are set-up for the day and ready to learn.

The department is committed to working in partnership with local government to support children in care, whether they are being looked after by their community of wider kinship care, foster carers and adoptive parents, or being cared for in children’s homes, if this is the best place for them to be. The department recognises many challenges kinship cares experience, including the financial challenges that many kinship carers face. The government is considering how to most effectively transform the children’s social care system so that it can deliver better support and outcomes for children and families. This will include considering how best to support kinship carers and children in kinship care.

The department is committed to working in partnership with local government to support children in care, whether they are being looked after by their community of wider kinship care, foster carers and adoptive parents, or being cared for in children’s homes, if this is the best place for them to be. The department recognises many challenges kinship cares experience, including the financial challenges that many kinship carers face. The government is considering how to most effectively transform the children’s social care system so that it can deliver better support and outcomes for children and families. This will include considering how best to support kinship carers and children in kinship care.

We will make further announcements on plans to develop policy on access to nature in due course.

On the 30 July the Government announced a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan to revise our plan for significantly improving the environment and enjoyment of it.

The Government is committed to enhancing public access to nature, as evidenced by our manifesto commitment to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests. We are currently considering how best to continue to drive forward our goals in this area and will be engaging with stakeholders as we do so.

Inland waterways such as canals and rivers are categorised as regulated (mostly canals and some larger rivers, owned by a navigation authority) and unregulated (mostly smaller rivers and no canals, owned/managed by riparian landowners along their length).

If the waterway is owned or managed by a navigation authority, access can be obtained through the navigation authority’s licensing regime. If the waterway is unregulated then access should be negotiated with the relevant landowners through local voluntary access agreements, to ensure the interests of all parties concerned are considered. Legislating on this issue is not (currently) Government policy.

To formally designate a site as a bathing water, an application must be submitted to Defra. Defra welcomes applications for both coastal and inland waters such as lakes and rivers. Local authorities, groups and individuals can apply for sites to be designated. Defra encourages this by writing to local authority Chief Executives, and stakeholders like Swimming Associations.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing.

We are actively working on initiatives that enhance access to nature in other areas. We will create nine new National River Walks, plant three new National Forests and empower communities to create new parks and green spaces in their communities with a new Community Right to Buy.

Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride, but too many across the country are left without access to the great outdoors. That is why the last Labour Government expanded public access by introducing the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which provides the public with access to large areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land, and coastal margin in England.

The Department will continue to enhance public access by creating nine new National River Walks, planting three new National Forests, and empowering communities to develop new parks and green spaces through a new Community Right to Buy. Further details on our plans will be announced in due course

The Department for Transport took account of Network Rail’s Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy which was previously used as guidance. However, with developments in the technology available, we are working with Network Rail, the Great British Railways Transition Team and rolling stock manufacturers and leasing companies to bring forward costed options for Government to carefully consider in terms of overall deliverability and affordability before any plan can be developed.

The Secretary of State has tasked Shadow Great British Railways leaders with producing a delivery plan for both passengers and freight users.

The Secretary of State for Transport will place a statutory duty on Great British Railways to promote the use of rail freight. There will also be targets set for growing rail freight.

The Government fully supports the growth of international rail freight through the Channel Tunnel, recognising its economic and environmental potential.

Under our plans to deliver the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation, Great British Railways will have a statutory duty to promote the use of rail freight, with an overall growth target set by the Transport Secretary.

Regarding gauge clearance, I am aware of industry proposals to enhance Kent routes to ‘W12’, in order to enable more containerised traffic from Europe. Alongside this, Network Rail has been considering more modest, incremental gauge clearance plans for it as a step towards W12. However, any investment decision will be subject to the usual business case process, working with industry, and will need to clearly demonstrate demand for enhanced infrastructure.

The Department for Transport is working with the rail industry, notably Network Rail, the Great British Railways Transition Team, and rolling stock manufacturers and leasing companies to develop credible long-term plans for decarbonisation; whilst Network Rail and Train Operators continue to deliver their existing commitments. This includes both reducing rail’s direct contribution to carbon emissions and the role rail should play in supporting wider decarbonisation of transport and industry. Once established, GBR will be accountable for delivery of these measures as part of the Secretary of State’s Long Term Rail Strategy.

Network Rail (NR) takes track adhesion extremely seriously. Its approach to managing adhesion risk across the system is focused on the tools, processes and skills required to run a safe service through autumn.

NR has implemented the GB Rail Industry Approach to Railhead Adhesion Management policy, which sets out all proven and practical control measures for adhesion risk.  This includes infrastructure, train operations and trainborne risk controls. The Office of Rail and Road, as the safety and economic regulator for the railways, ensures that the work undertaken is fit for purpose.