Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2026 to Question 110371 on Driving under Influence: Rural Areas, whether the impact assessment will consider rural (a) hospitality businesses and (b) pubs.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is consulting on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, as part of the recently published Road Safety Strategy.
As part of this, the Government is consulting on the general principle of lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales, which has remained unchanged since 1967 and is currently the highest in Europe.
Current evidence does not suggest a widespread or sustained adverse impact on the hospitality sector overall. However, the Government will consider potential impacts on rural hospitality businesses, including pubs, as part of its analysis of consultation responses.
The Government will conduct an impact assessment following consultation responses and an evidence-led options analysis, and will publish it in line with usual practice where required.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that data held by her Department on the condition of roads in England is a) consistent and b) of high quality.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Official statistics on the condition of local roads in England are published annually Road conditions in England to March 2025 - GOV.UK. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
Local Highway Authorities are required to provide consistent Road Condition data in line with MHCLG single data list requirements 130-01 and 130-02.
In September 2024, DfT released a new standard for road condition monitoring. This new standard transforms the use of data in highway maintenance by introducing innovative new methods for monitoring the condition of local roads in England, while ensuring the quality and comparability of road condition data across the country.
Local authorities must procure a survey that has demonstrated that they can deliver data against PAS 2161 in the approval process defined by DfT. Regular approval exercises will be conducted to assess whether technologies can produce comparable and standardised road condition data. Only those technologies that meet the defined criteria and performance thresholds will be approved for use in national reporting.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Casey Commission plans to address the upper capital limit of £23,250 for England in the context of the higher thresholds in Wales and Scotland; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of maintaining the lower level in England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The adult social care charging system is means tested and provides funded support for those with the least financial means. While the Department sets the minimum thresholds for accessing local authority support, local authorities have the discretion to set more generous thresholds if they choose.
The Terms of Reference for the Independent Commission into adult social care (The Commission) are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define the Commission's remit. Baroness Casey has been asked by the Prime Minister to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including how best to make it fair and affordable. Phase 1 will report later this year.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Casey Commission plans to assess the potential merits of a (a) national lifetime cost cap and (b) weekly maximum charge for long-term care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The adult social care charging system is means tested and provides funded support for those with the least financial means. While the Department sets the minimum thresholds for accessing local authority support, local authorities have the discretion to set more generous thresholds if they choose.
The Terms of Reference for the Independent Commission into adult social care (The Commission) are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define the Commission's remit. Baroness Casey has been asked by the Prime Minister to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including how best to make it fair and affordable. Phase 1 will report later this year.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of flights into and out of Stansted Airport allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein; and if she will take steps to establish the nature of those flights, including the passengers on board.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to establish the age of any passengers that may have been on board flights allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein into and out of Stansted Airport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with the (a) the Chairman and (b) Chief Executive of Manchester Airport Group on (i) the use of Stansted Airport by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and (ii) flights commissioned by Jeffrey Epstein.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure that conversations take place with contemporary handlers, ground staff or airport executives regarding flights into and out of Stansted Airport allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will take steps to investigate the nature of flights into and out of UK airports allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure households in rural communities that cannot receive smart meter connections via (a) long-range radio and (b) 4G are able to access alternative connectivity, including Wi-Fi-enabled smart meters.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with the DCC and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being trialled, will involve Virtual WAN (VWAN) - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.