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 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, 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, 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 Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the length of transition period that would be required by UK furniture manufacturers following changes to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and whether that assessment will take account of existing material stocks and forward orders, changes to supply chains, product development, and the time required for testing and certification.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government is currently reviewing consultation responses to inform the next steps in policy development. Officials have regularly engaged with businesses, fire services, consumer organisations, and other interested groups before and during the consultation process and are continuing to do so as policy proposals are refined.
The Government will publish a formal response to the consultation setting out further details and next steps in due course.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, following the closure on 23 June 2026 of the consultation on proposed reforms to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, when his Department expects to publish its response; what the next stages of the reform process will be; and whether it plans to undertake further consultation or engagement before making a final policy decision.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government is currently reviewing consultation responses to inform the next steps in policy development. Officials have regularly engaged with businesses, fire services, consumer organisations, and other interested groups before and during the consultation process and are continuing to do so as policy proposals are refined.
The Government will publish a formal response to the consultation setting out further details and next steps in due course.
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 HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to refinery products on the cost of aviation fuel and passenger air fares.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
At Budget, the Government announced its intention to expand the scope of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to include refinery products, subject to consultation on feasibility and impacts of doing so. This consultation was launched at Budget.
The Government is seeking views from a range of stakeholders on the practical, technical and economic considerations of this potential expansion.
The policy is designed to back British industry, by giving businesses the confidence to invest in decarbonisation, and prevent emissions, jobs and investment from being exported overseas.