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 provided (a) funding and (b) advice to Clean Cities Campaign since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has not provided funding to the Clean Cities Campaign, but has met with them as part of routine official-level stakeholder engagement.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many hours has the Gov.uk vehicle tax system been unavailable during 2026 for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the period between 1 January and 22 February 2026, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s online vehicle tax service was unavailable for just four hours and 15 minutes due to planned maintenance.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the additional annual cost to motorists of introducing a weight-based Vehicle Excise Duty system for cars weighing over (a) 1,600kg, (b) 2,000kg, and (c) 2,400kg.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, motorcycles and heavy goods vehicles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs at fiscal events, and in doing so considers a wide range of factors including complexity, value for money, and administrative burdens for tax payers. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
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 considered the potential merits of extending the current 24-week booking window for practical car driving tests on a temporary basis, including on the level of test availability and backlog management.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In 2020, the DVSA extended the booking window for customers, allowing them to book a driving test up to 24 weeks in advance from a 18-week booking window. The 24-week booking window is still in place.
As part of DVSA's plan to reduce driving waiting times, a small number of test centres are trialling a booking window beyond 24 weeks. DVSA will use data and analysis from the trial to decide if the booking window should be extended more widely.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of UK ETS rules for negotiations at the International Maritime Organisation on a global market-based measure.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Addressing international emissions from shipping is critical and it is important action is taken globally through the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Government firmly supported adoption of a global market-based measure, the IMO Net-Zero Framework, last autumn and is disappointed the decision has been postponed. We continue to work with other IMO Member States to secure adoption.
The Government also wants to ensure decarbonisation continues here in the UK and has proposed to expand the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to emissions from international voyages from 2028. If the IMO Net-Zero Framework is adopted, the Government will review the scope of the UK ETS to assess the effectiveness and fairness of the system for operators.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many practical car driving tests were cancelled with fewer than (a) three working days’ notice and (b) ten working days’ notice in each month since January 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
From 8 April 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) required learner drivers to give 10 full working days’ notice to change or cancel their car driving test without losing the test fee. Asking learner drivers to give more notice should give other people more chance to use the appointment. This will help to reduce driving test waiting times
The attached spreadsheet (WPQ-00061568) details how many car practical driving tests were cancelled by learners with fewer than (a) three working days’ notice and (b) ten working days’ notice in each month since January 2024.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of potential impact of restricting driving instructors and driver trainers from managing practical test bookings and amendments on behalf of learners on road safety; and if she will set out the safety mitigations to prevent learners from attempting practical tests before they are ready.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On the 12 November 2025, The Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced next steps following the consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) considered all of the representations made by different parties before reaching a final decision. The agency published the full results of their consultation on improving the rules for booking a driving test.
An options assessment of the proposed measures has been carried out and reviewed by the Better Regulation Unit. This assessment will be published once the statutory instrument amending the legislation has been laid before Parliament.
Approved driving instructors (ADI) and driving schools will continue to play their important role in advising learners when they are ready to take their practical driving test. DVSA’s Ready to Pass? campaign encourages learner drivers to take a test only when fully prepared and to follow guidance from their driving instructor. ADIs will continue to be able to decline to take a learner to a test if they do not consider they are ready to pass. DVSA will support ADIs who use their professional judgement to make this decision.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is seeking views on introducing a minimum time period between passing a theory test and taking a practical driving test. The consultation covers driving tests taken for a category B licence, the standard licence used to operate a car, and closes at 11:59pm on 31 March 2026.
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 2 February 2026 to Question 109244, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of shore power and grid capacity at UK ports by July 2026 to enable maritime operators to reduce emissions.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are aware of at least nine ports, harbours, marinas, terminals and wharves that do have live operational shore power units allowing some vessels to run on shore power today, and at least another two locations that are currently installing shore power. Of these eleven locations, six of them received R&D funding through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme.
In addition, the Government ran a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports which gathered evidence about the current grid capacity of ports and future grid capacity at ports, including what may be driving the increased energy demand at ports. We will consider this evidence as future policy is developed.
The policies set out in the Government’s Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy will encourage more investment in maritime decarbonisation, including shore power rollout at more ports. This Government will continue to support Ofgem, the independent regulator, in their work to incentivise network companies to invest strategically ahead of need, ensuring that future grid capacity planning reflects the emerging demands from electrifying sectors, including ports.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what evidential criteria were applied when assessing motorcycle bus lane consultation responses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Details of the analysis carried out on the consultation responses are given in the consultation outcome published on 21 November 2024 and available at:
The consultation response was informed by analysis commissioned by the Department. A copy of this report will be placed in the House library at the earliest opportunity.
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 18 December 2025 to Question 99588, when her Department plans to publish the evaluation of the £3 bus fare cap.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is currently undertaking an evaluation of the £3 single bus fare cap and its impacts, with the full report expected to be published later this year.