Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what safeguards she has implemented to ensure compliance with statutory requirements relating to automated decision-making, including rights to information, human review and challenge in the context of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department's Personal Information Charter sets out how individuals will be informed about decisions that have been made partially or wholly by automated means, the safeguards, and the information rights that apply.
The Department also has an internal data protection policy which was updated to reflect the changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and provides guidance to the Department on its obligations when using automated decision making.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what processes are in place to enable individuals to seek human review and to challenge decisions made by automated systems in the context of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department's Personal Information Charter sets out how individuals will be informed about decisions that have been made partially or wholly by automated means, the safeguards, and the information rights that apply.
The Department also has an internal data protection policy which was updated to reflect the changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and provides guidance to the Department on its obligations when using automated decision making.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how individuals are informed that decisions have been taken in (a) whole and (b) part by automated means in the context of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department's Personal Information Charter sets out how individuals will be informed about decisions that have been made partially or wholly by automated means, the safeguards, and the information rights that apply.
The Department also has an internal data protection policy which was updated to reflect the changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and provides guidance to the Department on its obligations when using automated decision making.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether significant Automated Decision-Making is taking place or planned within her Department, and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency uses automated processes based on the information held on their records to generate penalty letters to those vehicle keepers who have failed to meet their obligations relating to the registration, licensing and insurance of vehicles. All letters generated explain what recipients should do next and any subsequent contact regarding the penalty, including appeals, is dealt with by an official and is not subject to automated decision making.
There are no other solely automated decisions currently made by the Department that produce legal or similarly significant effects. Any future initiatives involving significant automated decision making would adhere to the relevant guidance and details would be published in accordance with the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, given the passage of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 what internal guidance her Department issued on the potential impact of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 on automated decision-making.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department's Personal Information Charter sets out how individuals will be informed about decisions that have been made partially or wholly by automated means, the safeguards, and the information rights that apply.
The Department also has an internal data protection policy which was updated to reflect the changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and provides guidance to the Department on its obligations when using automated decision making.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for appointing a Chair to the statutory public inquiry into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is fully committed to setting up the Statutory Public Inquiry into the serious harms that have taken place at the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
The Department has begun work to set up the inquiry, the Inquiry Secretary is in post, and we anticipate announcing the Chair soon.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what alternative remuneration models were considered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency prior to the decision to remove hourly remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers attending incidents, training exercises and operational duties.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the last 12 months the following number of Coastguard Rescue Officers have left the Coastguard Rescue Service – Coastguard Rescue Officers leave the service for a variety of reasons:
Jun 2025 | Jul 2025 | Aug 2025 | Sep 2025 | Oct 2025 | Nov 2025 | Dec 2025 | Jan 2026 | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Jun 2026 |
21 | 33 | 42 | 44 | 36 | 34 | 27 | 38 | 32 | 42 | 41 | 20 | 12 |
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers (CRO). They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer. Protecting volunteering preserves a valuable form of public service. The revised model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to serve alongside their primary employment. As a result, the decision was made to move to a new model with expenses but no hourly remuneration. This will be implemented in September 2026.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, will the Department carry out an impact assessment on the removal of remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers on coastal communities within in the Easington constituency.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the last 12 months the following number of Coastguard Rescue Officers have left the Coastguard Rescue Service – Coastguard Rescue Officers leave the service for a variety of reasons:
Jun 2025 | Jul 2025 | Aug 2025 | Sep 2025 | Oct 2025 | Nov 2025 | Dec 2025 | Jan 2026 | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Jun 2026 |
21 | 33 | 42 | 44 | 36 | 34 | 27 | 38 | 32 | 42 | 41 | 20 | 12 |
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers (CRO). They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer. Protecting volunteering preserves a valuable form of public service. The revised model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to serve alongside their primary employment. As a result, the decision was made to move to a new model with expenses but no hourly remuneration. This will be implemented in September 2026.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made of the impact of the removal of remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers on (a) recruitment, (b) retention, and (c) operational capability.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the last 12 months the following number of Coastguard Rescue Officers have left the Coastguard Rescue Service – Coastguard Rescue Officers leave the service for a variety of reasons:
Jun 2025 | Jul 2025 | Aug 2025 | Sep 2025 | Oct 2025 | Nov 2025 | Dec 2025 | Jan 2026 | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Jun 2026 |
21 | 33 | 42 | 44 | 36 | 34 | 27 | 38 | 32 | 42 | 41 | 20 | 12 |
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers (CRO). They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer. Protecting volunteering preserves a valuable form of public service. The revised model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to serve alongside their primary employment. As a result, the decision was made to move to a new model with expenses but no hourly remuneration. This will be implemented in September 2026.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether consultation took place with Ministers before the Maritime and Coastguard Agency decided to remove remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since the Court of Appeal judgment in January this year, which meant that the current model could not legally continue, careful consideration has been given to the legal and operational implications.
After careful review and consideration of the options available to comply with the judgment, I accepted the MCA’s recommendation that they should move the Coastguard Rescue Service to a revised volunteer model with expenses paid, but not hourly remuneration.
Volunteers will continue to receive training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and personal protective equipment. This revised volunteer model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to serve alongside their primary employment.
This decision does not reflect any reduction in the high value that we place on Coastguard Rescue Officers or the important service they provide.