Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2026 to Question 14998 on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and British Overseas Territories, what the purpose and principal outcomes were of each monitoring visit undertaken since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Monitoring visits are undertaken to ensure compliance with the Overseas Territories’ international and UK maritime obligations. Outcomes identify areas of non-compliance, areas for improvement and best practice. Where non-compliance is identified, corrective actions plans are agreed for completion over a 36-month period.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test centres recorded the maximum waiting time of 24 weeks for a practical car test in each month since March 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The answer to Question 6274,15 June 2026, provides data for how many driving test centres recorded the maximum waiting time of 24 weeks for a practical car test in April and May. Data for June is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-test-and-theory-test-data-cars#car-driving-test-waiting-time-and-availability-data .

In June 2026, 10.99 full-time equivalent driving examiners left the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 May 2026, to Question 1543, on Department for Transport: Public Relations, if she will name each public relations company that has provided services since July 2024.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Since July 2024 the Department for Transport have only contracted with one company, 23 Red Limited, who have provided public relations services to support THINK! drink and drug driving campaigns.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to use the powers contained in the Highways (Finance) Bill to introduce user charging or tolls on any road that is currently free to use.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has no plans to use the powers in the Highways (Financing) Bill to introduce user charging or tolls on any road that is currently free to use.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2026, to Question 1718, of National Highways: Expenditure, what company or contractor provided the public affairs services for National Highways.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the Hon Member to Question 16599 answered on 14 July 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving examiners ceased to practice in June 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The answer to Question 6274,15 June 2026, provides data for how many driving test centres recorded the maximum waiting time of 24 weeks for a practical car test in April and May. Data for June is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-test-and-theory-test-data-cars#car-driving-test-waiting-time-and-availability-data .

In June 2026, 10.99 full-time equivalent driving examiners left the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 11818 on Airspace, whether she has made an estimate of the cumulative additional CO₂e emissions resulting from delays to the implementation of Free Route Airspace against the original planned implementation timetable.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The transition to Free Route Airspace has been delivered broadly in line with anticipated timescales, with deployments completed in Northern Scotland and Northern Ireland (2021), Southwest England (2023) and Southern Scotland and Northeast England (2026).

Future deployments are dependent on other airspace modernisation and technology programmes. As the benefits of future phases remain subject to the completion of this interdependent work, no estimate has been made of any cumulative additional CO₂e emissions resulting from changes to the implementation timetable.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2026 to Question 13301 on Air Routes, what specialist workforce shortages her Department has identified that could affect delivery of the Airspace Modernisation Strategy.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the Hon Member to Question 13301 answered on 30 June 2026 and to Question 15854 answered on 13 July 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2026 to Question 13039 on Aviation: Antisocial Behaviour, whether her Department collects data on the number of passengers removed from aircraft prior to departure due to disruptive or unruly behaviour.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not collect or hold data on the number of passengers removed from aircraft prior to departure due to disruptive or unruly behaviour.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2026 to Question 10713 on Railways: CCTV, whether the funding allocated to the Network Rail programme to connect existing station CCTV into a single cloud-based system represents (a) the total estimated cost of delivering the programme or (b) funding allocated to date.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Nearly £17 million has been allocated to this project up until 2029/30. The project is currently in its early stages, with Network Rail developing a Full Business Case for the entire programme which, once complete, may indicate further funding required in future years.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the benefit-in-kind tax treatment of used company vehicles on employees on lower incomes; and whether she has assessed whether calculating benefit-in-kind liabilities using the original P11D list price represents an effective approach to employment taxation.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to supporting motorists to transition to electric vehicles. This is why at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced new Company Car Tax rates for the years 2028-29 and 2029-30, which maintain generous incentives to support EV take-up. The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published alongside Budget set out the expected economic, equalities and other impacts, and highlighted that overall, the measure was expected to encourage the take-up of zero emission vehicles.

In addition, at Budget 2025, the Government announced a significant expansion of incentives to drive EV uptake, including extending the Electric Car Grant and lifting the Vehicle Excise Duty Expensive Car Supplement threshold for EVs, which will support the whole EV market.

The Government needs to balance these incentives against responsible management of public finances to ensure we have sufficient revenue to fund essential public services. A company car is a valuable benefit and therefore needs to be taxed appropriately. The Government considers P11D list prices the fairest and most practical way to calculate benefit-in-kind liabilities for company cars and has no plans to move away from this approach. However, the Government will keep the second-hand EV market under review and continue to monitor developments closely.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department consulted the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee on the final draft of the statutory guidance entitled Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design Guidance, published on 26 January 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport consulted the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) during the development of the statutory guidance Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design Guidance, in accordance with the requirements of the Bus Services Act 2025.

DPTAC was also invited to comment on draft versions of the guidance, and its feedback and views were considered alongside those of other stakeholders before the guidance was finalised and published on 26 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average processing time was for driving licence applications in June 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the average number of working days taken to process online and non-online applications for Group 1 (car and motorcycle) and Group 2 (lorry and bus) driving licences in June 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing road risk prevention orders, or a similar mechanism, to prohibit individuals suspected of posing a serious road safety risk from driving pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department is providing £2.7 million per year for three years for the Roads Policing Innovation Programme, working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office to strengthen national roads policing coordination. This funding supports the programme as a whole, including work on impaired driving. Core police funding, operational deployment and forensic toxicology capacity remain matters for the Home Office, Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.

On road risk prevention orders, the Department has recently consulted on similar issues through its motoring offences consultation. This included seeking views on temporary licence suspension for those suspected of drink or drug driving until court attendance, guilty plea or while bailed pending forensic analysis, and on suspending licences for those under investigation for serious driving offences resulting in death or serious injury.

The Department also intends to publish a response to the 2022 call for evidence on repeat drug-driving offenders alongside the response to the motoring offences consultation. That call for evidence sought views on a drug-driving high-risk offender scheme and a rehabilitation course.

No final decision has been taken on introducing a drug-driving rehabilitation programme, a drug-driving high-risk offender scheme, or linking any interim driving prohibition to course completion or drug testing. Responses to the motoring offences consultation are now being analysed, and it would not be right to pre-empt the outcome of that process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of linking any interim driving prohibition for drug driving offenders to the successful completion of an approved drug driving rehabilitation course and a negative drug test.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department is providing £2.7 million per year for three years for the Roads Policing Innovation Programme, working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office to strengthen national roads policing coordination. This funding supports the programme as a whole, including work on impaired driving. Core police funding, operational deployment and forensic toxicology capacity remain matters for the Home Office, Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.

On road risk prevention orders, the Department has recently consulted on similar issues through its motoring offences consultation. This included seeking views on temporary licence suspension for those suspected of drink or drug driving until court attendance, guilty plea or while bailed pending forensic analysis, and on suspending licences for those under investigation for serious driving offences resulting in death or serious injury.

The Department also intends to publish a response to the 2022 call for evidence on repeat drug-driving offenders alongside the response to the motoring offences consultation. That call for evidence sought views on a drug-driving high-risk offender scheme and a rehabilitation course.

No final decision has been taken on introducing a drug-driving rehabilitation programme, a drug-driving high-risk offender scheme, or linking any interim driving prohibition to course completion or drug testing. Responses to the motoring offences consultation are now being analysed, and it would not be right to pre-empt the outcome of that process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding her Department has provided since 4 July 2024 for (a) drug driving enforcement, (b) toxicology services relating to drug driving offences and (c) the National Roads Policing Coordination Centre's drink and drug driving workstream.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department is providing £2.7 million per year for three years for the Roads Policing Innovation Programme, working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office to strengthen national roads policing coordination. This funding supports the programme as a whole, including work on impaired driving. Core police funding, operational deployment and forensic toxicology capacity remain matters for the Home Office, Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.

On road risk prevention orders, the Department has recently consulted on similar issues through its motoring offences consultation. This included seeking views on temporary licence suspension for those suspected of drink or drug driving until court attendance, guilty plea or while bailed pending forensic analysis, and on suspending licences for those under investigation for serious driving offences resulting in death or serious injury.

The Department also intends to publish a response to the 2022 call for evidence on repeat drug-driving offenders alongside the response to the motoring offences consultation. That call for evidence sought views on a drug-driving high-risk offender scheme and a rehabilitation course.

No final decision has been taken on introducing a drug-driving rehabilitation programme, a drug-driving high-risk offender scheme, or linking any interim driving prohibition to course completion or drug testing. Responses to the motoring offences consultation are now being analysed, and it would not be right to pre-empt the outcome of that process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in airport vehicle drop-off charges since 2016 on the cost of air travel for passengers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The setting of vehicle drop-off charges is a commercial matter for individual airport operators to decide and justify to their customers. The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of car parking and drop-off charges on passengers.

Most airports that charge drop-off charges continue to provide free options for dropping off and picking up passengers, including at designated locations further away from terminal forecourts. Passengers are able to take these arrangements into account when making their travel plans.

We are clear that airports must ensure that information about parking options and charges that apply is easily accessible to passengers and that parking and drop-off arrangements support the safe and efficient operation of the airport.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the price of sustainable aviation fuel since the introduction of the UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate has met the assumptions used in the Department's published impact assessment.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The assumptions used in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate cost-benefit analysis are projections of future SAF production costs over the appraisal period, rather than observed market prices. These estimates are subject to uncertainty regarding future technology deployment, feedstock availability and market developments. This is covered in detail in the SAF Mandate cost-benefit analysis. At present, hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) fuel is the only SAF pathway with a sufficiently mature and established market from which viable commercial price data are available. Other SAF pathways are not yet deployed at a scale that enables meaningful comparisons against the assumptions used in the cost-benefit analysis. Based on available market data, while SAF prices are inherently volatile and can fluctuate over time in either direction, we are confident that the range of estimates for HEFA SAF in the cost-benefit analysis remains accurate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many working days each organisation or individual consulted on the statutory guidance on floating bus stops published on 26 January 2026 was given to provide a response; and whether any consultees (a) requested additional time and (b) were unable to respond within the time available.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The draft guidance was sent out for comment on 26 November with a response requested by 2 December. Members of Active Travel England’s Technical Oversight and Advisory Group were asked to respond by 4 December. One consultee was asked to respond by 8 December owing to a delay in sending them the draft.

No consultee requested additional time. Of 34 organisations consulted, five did not respond but did not give a reason. Five responded after the deadline and their feedback was still considered.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations her Department has received from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on the eligibility of Hammersmith Bridge for support from the Structures Fund since 1 January 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

My Department engages regularly with London local highway authorities on matters related to their local highways networks, including the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

The technical advisory body to the Structures Fund is also having conversations on behalf of the Department about the future of bridges that local highway authorities have put forward to the structures fund; including Hammersmith Bridge.

The Structures Fund will inject cash into repairing run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels across Britain. As a structure in need of repair, Hammersmith Bridge remains an eligible candidate for the consideration of further project funding through the Structures Fund.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of planning applications her Department expects to remain subject to the biodiversity gain condition once the 0.2 hectare, temporary permission and proposed brownfield residential exemptions are in force, in the context of her Department's estimate that the first and third of these alone would exempt between 63 and 78 per cent of eligible applications.

Answered by Mary Creagh

Defra have published an impact assessment alongside regulations, implementing changes to biodiversity net gain for smaller developments. This shows around 80% of planning applications are already exempt from BNG under existing exemptions, such as for householder development, which are having little of no impact on biodiversity. We expect that the new exemption for sites of 0.2 hectares or less will exempt around an additional 51% of residential planning applications that are currently eligible for biodiversity net gain.

The consultation on a potential additional targeted exemption for residential brownfield development closed on 10 June 2026. All responses and evidence submissions are being analysed and the Government will respond to the consultation in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which protected species most frequently require surveys, licences and mitigation before Network Rail can undertake maintenance and enhancement works.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the Hon Member to Question 15858 answered on 13 July 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance has her Department provided to the sector on using banking and borrowing flexibilities under the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate to allow the deferral of obligations under the advanced fuel and power-to-liquid sub-mandates over a multi-year period.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate policy allows for up to 25% of the obligation to be fulfilled by SAF supplied in the previous year. It does not allow for further banking and borrowing flexibilities. On 16 June the government published a call for evidence titled “SAF Mandate: SAF supply and industry certainty in an evolving market”. The call for evidence invites respondents to suggest any additional options for flexibility, whilst not undermining SAF production, investment or environmental benefits. We look forward to industry’s engagement in this exercise.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to commission an independent review of the Armed Forces medical discharge process to assess outcomes for transitioning into civilian life.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 July 2026 to Question 12262 to the hon. Member for Mid Buckinghamshire (Greg Smith).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-06-23/12262

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what data his Department collects on the a) long-term health, b) employment and c) housing outcomes of medically discharged veterans.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 July 2026 to Question 12262 to the hon. Member for Mid Buckinghamshire (Greg Smith).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-06-23/12262