Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2026 to Question 32105 on High Speed 1, what the (a) financial value and (b) nature of the other incentives offered by HS1 Ltd on each of the two occasions to extend its concession beyond 2040 were.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
These are commercially confidential. Disclosure could prejudice the commercial interests of HS1 Ltd and the Department.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the cost of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine dualling scheme; and in which financial year she expects the scheme to be completed.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The estimated total cost of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project cannot be disclosed at this stage due to commercial sensitivities associated with future procurement activity. The project is being delivered through a nine-year construction programme, with main construction commencing in November 2026. The full scheme is currently forecast to open to traffic in financial year 2035-36, with some sections expected to open earlier as construction is completed in phases.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2026 to Question 32105 on High Speed One, what assessment her Department made of the net present value of each proposed concession extension; and what factors led it to conclude that neither proposal represented value for money.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department undertook detailed financial, legal and commercial assessments of both proposed concession extensions.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 22337 on Luton Airport: Safety, what information her Department holds on whether the airport and relevant ground handling agents have completed reviews of the reported incidents; whether their findings have been shared with the Civil Aviation Authority; and whether any further investigation is planned.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department holds no information on any review or investigation into these reported incidents. This is a matter for the airport and ground handlers to investigate.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2026 to Question 34458 on DfT Operator: Trade Unions, how many hours of paid trade union facility time have been authorised since the recognition arrangements began operating in practice; what the total estimated salary cost of those hours is; and how many employees have been granted such time off.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No paid facility time has yet been granted under these recognition agreements.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assumptions underpin the Government's estimate that its new public electric vehicle charging support will save eligible drivers £150 per year.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The £150 was calculated based on total compensation of 6.4p/kWh, with an average energy consumption of 0.303 kWh/miles (or 3.3 miles/kWh) for an average driver who drives 8,000 miles a year and charges on-street.
Therefore, 6.4p/kWh x 0.303 kWh/mile x 8,000 miles = £155 per year.
Full details of the measure will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made representations to Transport for London on its proposals to increase the additional charges payable by taxi passengers for drop-offs at Heathrow and London City airports from £6.00 to £6.80.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department regularly engages with Transport for London on a range of transport related priorities, but taxi fares, including any supplementary charges, are a matter for licensing authorities.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2026 to Question 19486 on the Lower Thames Crossing, what working assumptions her Department is using for the level of charges required to cover the economic and efficient costs of service provision, including a fair return on investment for the private sector.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department is working to secure the best deal for users and taxpayers under the Regulated Asset Base model. Further analysis and development is required before charges can be set. The assumptions include, but are not limited to, forecasted traffic volumes, operational costs and financing costs. An independent regulator will be in place to protect user interests, ensuring the toll regime is fair and transparent and that drivers are protected from being overcharged.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2026 to Question 30498 on Merchant Shipping: Crew, how many applications for Support for Maritime Training funding for deck and engineering ratings have been (a) received and (b) approved since 11 April 2025.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since 11 April 2025, no applications have been received, and none have been approved, for special deck or engineering ratings training routes and associated Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) funding under MIN 707.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the response to the consultation on the proposed revised Airports National Policy Statement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement consultation closed on 1 September. The Department received a wide range of responses, which we will carefully consider alongside the Transport Select Committee’s recommendations. We will set out our response and any next steps in due course, once that process is complete.