Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department monitors compliance by arm's length bodies with Cabinet Office guidance on the use of public funds for lobbying.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office sets standards for public bodies, including the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which states that it is an improper use of public funds for public bodies to employ consultants or other companies to lobby Parliament, government or political parties. Responsibility for ensuring compliance with these standards rests with the Accounting Officer of each arm's length body and their respective sponsoring department.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of applying a zero rate of VAT to commercial pilot training undertaken in the UK by (a) British nationals, (b) overseas nationals and (c) all trainee commercial pilots combined.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has not made an estimate. I refer the Honourable Member to my answer of 23 April to the Honourable Member for Basildon and Billericay (UIN 128427), in which I stated that HMRC does not hold information on VAT revenue from pilot training, and that the Government has no plans to change policy in this area.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on UK automotive exports to the European Union of the 10% tariff that may apply to electric vehicles that do not meet Rules of Origin requirements from 1 January 2027.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
New rules of origin requirements for electric vehicles under the TCA are scheduled to come into force on 1st January 2027. We are aware of the understandable and growing concern from industry about the potential impact of the upcoming rule changes on both EU and UK sides of the industry. We are engaging with the European Commission and the UK automotive sector on the issue to ensure a mutually advantageous solution. That includes, as a priority, looking to finalise joint guidance on the origin requirements related to Cathode Active Material.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what consideration his Department has given to seeking a further extension or amendment to the Rules of Origin requirements for electric vehicles and batteries under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
New rules of origin requirements for electric vehicles under the TCA are scheduled to come into force on 1st January 2027. We are aware of the understandable and growing concern from industry about the potential impact of the upcoming rule changes on both EU and UK sides of the industry. We are engaging with the European Commission and the UK automotive sector on the issue to ensure a mutually advantageous solution. That includes, as a priority, looking to finalise joint guidance on the origin requirements related to Cathode Active Material.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an estimate of the annual cost to the transport sector of compliance with Driver Certificate of Professional Competence requirements.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department’s most recent published estimate of the annual cost of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) requirements was made in the 2016 Post Implementation Review, which estimated the average annual cost of the regulations at £149 million.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage young people aged 16 and over to consider a career as an air traffic controller; and what discussions she has had with the aviation sector on increasing awareness of air traffic control careers among school and college students.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is committed to encouraging, inspiring, and creating opportunities for young people to pursue careers in the aviation sector, including as air traffic controllers, through its Generation Aviation Programme.
The Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund, a key workstream of the Generation Aviation Programme, funds outreach programmes and events that inspire school and college students to explore careers in aviation, including opportunities to become air traffic controllers.
This year’s Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund will focus on supporting school leavers aged 16 and above by providing practical assistance to help overcome barriers to aviation employment and training. This includes improving access to careers such as air traffic control and enhancing diversity across the sector.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any part of National Highways' external affairs function has as one of its objectives engagement with Ministers, special advisers or officials within her Department.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways engages regularly with the Department’s Ministers, special advisers and officials on a wide range of matters relating to its responsibility for the strategic road network. The National Highways external affairs function does not have a specific objective related to this engagement.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled £219 million to power Britain's green aviation revolution, published on 16 June 2026, how much funding has been (a) allocated and (b) committed under that Fund in 2026-27 financial year; and what the funding allocation is for (i) 2027-2028, (ii) 2028-2029, (iii) 2029-2030, (iv) 2030-2031, and (v) 2031-2032 financial years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Low Carbon Fuels Fund (LCFF) will provide up to £219m between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support the commercialisation of first-of-a-kind sustainable aviation fuel production plants in the UK. Funds will be allocated through a competitive bidding process, for which the first window will open in summer 2026. £93m of this funding is available over the first two years of the scheme – FY2026/27 and FY2027/28, with the remaining £126m over FY2028/29 and FY2029/30. The scheme has not been committed past 2029/30.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many flights for non-UK nationals have been funded by her Department (a) directly and (b) through the Integrated Security Fund since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since July 2024, DfT has funded flights for non-UK nationals through both the Integrated Security Fund, a cross-government fund, and departmental budgets, including in support of both maritime and aviation security outcomes. The Department does not routinely comment on national security matters, and it is not considered in the public interest to provide further details on this area of work.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many months the opening of White Rose Station will take place after the original project timetable.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
White Rose Station forms part of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s (WYCA’s) City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS)programme. CRSTS provides eligible city regions with a simplified, integrated and long-term funding settlement, enabling local leaders to plan and invest in their transport priorities. As is the case for the majority of CRSTS schemes, responsibility for the development and delivery of the White Rose Station scheme, including decisions relating to project scheduling and delivery timelines, rests with WYCA.