Kieran Mullan Portrait

Kieran Mullan

Conservative - Bexhill and Battle

2,657 (5.6%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 12th December 2019

Shadow Minister (Justice)

(since November 2024)

Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Transport)
19th Jul 2024 - 6th Nov 2024
Justice Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 30th May 2024
Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill
1st May 2024 - 7th May 2024
Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [HL]
28th Feb 2024 - 7th Mar 2024
Seafarers' Wages Bill [HL]
11th Jan 2023 - 17th Jan 2023
Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill
6th Dec 2022 - 7th Dec 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
10th Oct 2022 - 18th Oct 2022
Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [HL]
19th Jan 2022 - 27th Jan 2022
Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Bill
8th Dec 2021 - 15th Dec 2021
Procedure Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 9th Mar 2020


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Kieran Mullan has voted in 52 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Kieran Mullan Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Shabana Mahmood (Labour)
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
(8 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(7 debate interactions)
Yvette Cooper (Labour)
Home Secretary
(4 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Ministry of Justice
(18 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(7 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(6 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Kieran Mullan's debates

Bexhill and Battle Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petitions with highest Bexhill and Battle signature proportion
Kieran Mullan has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Kieran Mullan

2nd September 2024
Kieran Mullan signed this EDM on Monday 2nd September 2024

Social Security

Tabled by: Rishi Sunak (Conservative - Richmond and Northallerton)
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (S.I., 2024, No. 869), dated 22 August 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 August 2024, be annulled.
81 signatures
(Most recent: 10 Sep 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 75
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
26th March 2024
Kieran Mullan signed this EDM on Monday 15th April 2024

Referral of matters of 21 February 2024 to the Committee of Privileges

Tabled by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
That this House notes the Speaker’s decision on selection and calling of amendments on 21 February 2024 was not in accordance with the established precedent for Opposition days; and accordingly considers that, notwithstanding the Resolution of this House of 6 February 1978, the matter of whether undue pressure was placed …
70 signatures
(Most recent: 19 Apr 2024)
Signatures by party:
Scottish National Party: 42
Conservative: 25
Independent: 2
Plaid Cymru: 1
View All Kieran Mullan's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Kieran Mullan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Kieran Mullan has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Kieran Mullan has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Kieran Mullan has not introduced any legislation before Parliament


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
6th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when the Government plans to publish its findings from research into the potential costs of geothermal heat in the UK.

The electricity generation and heat supply cost estimates from geothermal energy in the UK commissioned by Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and undertaken by Ove Arup & Partners Limited (Arup) will have completed by the of this calendar year (2024). DESNZ are aiming for this work to be published in the first half of next year, but at this time cannot give an exact date as to when the publication of the outcomes will be.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
5th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of planning reforms on areas of outstanding natural beauty.

I have been engaged in discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and my other honourable friends to discuss the Government’s plan to reform planning.

This Government was elected on a mandate to build the homes that Britain desperately needs while protecting nature including National Landscapes. That is exactly what we will do.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the total cost to the public purse of extending HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston Station.

The government is considering a range of development models and financing mechanisms to best meet the objectives of the Euston area while delivering value for money for the taxpayer. Decisions around any further investment at Euston are for the second phase of the Spending Review.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Shadow Great British Railways is taking to increase the volume of goods moved by rail.

The Secretary of State has tasked Shadow Great British Railways leaders with producing a delivery plan for both passengers and freight users. Priorities will be communicated in due course.

In the future, Great British Railways will have a statutory duty to promote the use of rail freight and an overall growth target, as confirmed by the Secretary of State when she announced the establishment of Shadow Great British Railways.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the speed of rail electrification.

The Government expects electrification to play an important role in our programme to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target and improve the passenger experience.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide additional funding for the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme.

Live grant awards for this financial year total £20.8m, which is in line with historic levels of funding for this scheme. Future budgets are being determined as part of the continuing Spending Review.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 8568 on Roads: Freight, what steps her Department is taking to support road haulage businesses.

Small businesses including those in the road haulage sector are the beating heart of our communities, and essential to our economic success. This Government will draw on all resources to support these small businesses and boost productivity by delivering commitments made in our nine-point pledge, Plan for Small Business.

We are working on delivering these commitments and announced on 19th September 2024 measures to tackle the scourge of late payments and long payment terms. We are also creating opportunities for UK businesses to compete and supporting small businesses to access the finance they need to scale up and break into new markets.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for haulage businesses, by extending the 5p fuel duty cut for one year and cancelling the planned inflation increase for 2025-26. This maintains fuel duty rates at the levels set on 23 March 2022 for an additional 12 months and represents a saving of nearly £1,100 for the average HGV in 2025-26.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
8th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what Network Rail’s year one projected spend profile is under the regulatory Control Period 7 funding settlement.

Network Rail’s year one projected spend profile for Control Period 7 can be found in Network Rail’s delivery plan for Control Period 7 which is published on its website. Please find below a link to the document:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Network-Rail-CP7-GB-Delivery-Plan.pdf.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the terms of the agreement were with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen that led to industrial action being called off at London North Eastern Railway.

Following discussions, on 29 August London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and ASLEF found a resolution to their long running local dispute at no extra cost to the taxpayer and preventing 22 days of industrial action whilst ensuring an improved service for passengers. LNER has agreed a new rest day working agreement with its drivers and has agreed to use driver managers in line with common industry practices.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to tackle (a) variances in employment terms and conditions and (b) the introduction of technological innovations in the rail sector.

We are committed to delivering the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, and ensure that Great British Railways (GBR) can drive innovation across the network.

As we bring a fragmented industry together, we will need to consider a range of options on the right approach for future terms and conditions, taking account of employment law requirements.

On the introduction of technological innovations, we expect a joined up industry to do more and faster in the use of technology for safety, cost reduction, revenue growth and accessibility, and we expect GBR to take a firm lead in this area. In the meantime, Network rail and train companies are working in this area, including through Shadow Great British Railways.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish her Department's detailed plans for the extension of HS2 to Euston.

The Government is working at pace to review the position it has inherited on HS2, including options for Euston. We will set out a clear plan in due course.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to fund (a) rail infrastructure and (b) fleet modernisation projects at (i) East Midlands Railway and (ii) West Midlands Trains (A) during and (B) following their potential transition to public ownership.

The process of transitioning railway passenger services into public ownership should not impact investment projects. Existing projects can continue unless there is a good reason for review; with new projects being considered on their merits. The Department will work closely with private sector train operating companies and Network Rail during the transition process to understand the position of any investment programmes, and build these into transition planning if appropriate.

Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts end, reach their contractual break point, or if they fail. DOHL is tasked with undertaking transfers efficiently and effectively, with no disruption to passengers and employees. It has managed four successful transfers in recent years and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of more services into public ownership.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to support open access operators.

We are committed to delivering benefits for both passengers and taxpayers, and there will remain a role for open access services where they provide improved connectivity and choice. We will also continue to work to protect access to the network for all operators as we take forward the Railways Bill.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to set specific performance targets for the nationalisation of the railways.

Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts reach their end date or contractual break point.

The Government will continue to set targets for public sector train operating companies on a range of measures including punctuality, reliability and quality of service as appropriate, and will continue to hold them to account for performance against these targets. Modern service agreements, currently in development, will come into force for each train operator when operations transition into public ownership.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how timetable adjustments will be managed (a) during and (b) after the transition of operations into public ownership.

There will not be any immediate changes to how timetable adjustments are managed during and immediately after the transition of passenger train operations into public ownership. Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd when current contracts end or reach their contractual break point, and timetable adjustments will be managed as they currently are.

As announced in the King’s Speech 2024, forthcoming legislation will establish Great British Railways – an arm’s length body which will act as a “directing mind”, with a relentless focus on delivering for passengers and freight customers. As outlined in Getting Britain Moving, the Government’s vision is that, within the clear strategic direction set by the Secretary of State, Great British Railways will, once established, have operational independence and be responsible for planning timetables.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on (a) strategic rail projects in the north of England and (b) Northern Powerhouse Rail.

We are committed to a long-term approach to infrastructure and investment, taking account of local transport priorities. We will thoroughly review the fiscal position we have inherited before setting out more detailed plans for this in due course.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the long-term sustainability of rolling stock manufacturing.

The Government recognises the importance of rolling stock manufacturing, and alongside our plan for the railways, Getting Britain Moving, we have committed to develop a long-term Rolling Stock Strategy which will support British manufacturing and innovation. My officials are working at pace on its development, and I will set out further details in due course.

My officials work closely with the sector to understand future rolling stock needs. As trains are assets with a lifespan of 35-40 years, the Government will seek to end the boom-and-bust cycle by ensuring that there is a strong pipeline of work.

There is now a clear domestic UK market for rolling stock procurement, with current competitions for SouthEastern and TransPennine Express underway. With other potential procurements on Chiltern, Northern, and Great Western upcoming, there are and will be numerous business opportunities available for rolling stock manufacturers.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help mitigate the impact of the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway programme on (a) regional connectivity and (b) economic development.

Aside from Restoring Your Railway (RYR) projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) the criteria for assessment and (b) her Department's planned timeline is for the review of individual Restoring Your Railways projects.

Aside from Restoring Your Railways (RYR) projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to ensure that there is a smooth transition from private to public rail operators.

The responsibility for the transfers from the private to the public sectors lies with DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL). DOHL is tasked with undertaking these transfers in an efficient and effective manner with no disruption to passengers and employees. The Board has a strong mix of skills, expertise and experience in the rail industry that covers safety, rail franchising, finance and management accounting, project change, project management and contracts. DOHL has managed four successful transfers so far and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of all train operating companies into public ownership.

The Department will continue to work with DOHL and ensure that it has sufficient capacity to take on train operating companies and manage effectively the train operating companies currently under its control as we work towards Great British Railways. DOHL is already well versed in building up specialist capacity quickly in response to a need to transfer operations to the public sector at pace. Significant work is already underway by DOHL to bring in additional capacity and expertise. We are meeting regularly with DOHL to obtain assurances that it is scaling up appropriately to meet the opportunities and challenges of public ownership and operation.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on the (a) designs for and (b) delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub.

Following approval of an Outline Business Case, £123m was released to Network Rail in March 2024 to commence detailed design of Midlands Rail Hub’s first phase (for additional services between Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Worcester), while subsequent phases are at an earlier stage of development. Subject to future decisions about affordability and value for money, the first stage could be complete by the early 2030s.

The Chancellor set out on 29 July a range of pressures on public spending, including £2.9 billion of unfunded transport specific spending. Following this, the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July set out that the Department is undertaking an internal review of its capital spend portfolio. This will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport. Any decisions about the portfolio will be subject to broader discussions and fiscal decisions made at Budget and Spending Review.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help (a) maintain and (b) improve the operational performance of (i) Greater Anglia and (ii) other private rail operators during the transition to public ownership.

The Government’s approach will be consistent across all operators, including Greater Anglia. While National Rail Contracts (NRCs) remain in place, we will set stretching performance targets for each operator through the annual business planning process. These targets will be specific to each operator, reflecting their individual circumstances. Where performance falls short, we will require operators to put in place robust improvement plans. The Secretary of State has already met a number of poorly performing train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, setting clear expectations for immediate improvement.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the costs associated with the establishment of Great British Railways remain within budget.

The King’s Speech set out that we will be introducing legislation to establish Great British Railways (GBR) in this Parliamentary session.

The Rail Sector Transformation Programme Board will hold to account those responsible for implementing reforms and will oversee the planned savings and track incurred costs. We are applying lessons from recent National Audit Office, Public Accounts Committee and Infrastructure and Projects Authority reports, including ensuring there is effective governance and clear accountabilities.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure engagement with (a) the public and (b) campaign groups on decisions on transportation projects that have been (i) halted or (ii) altered due to the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway programme.

Aside from Restoring Your Railways (RYR) projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that public railway operators achieve passenger growth.

We are committed to delivering a unified and simplified rail system that focuses on improved services for passengers and better value for taxpayers, ending years of fragmentation and waste.

We will establish Great British Railways as the directing mind in charge of Britain’s railway infrastructure and services, responsible for ensuring both work together. We will also bring passenger services into public ownership, in the pursuit of a more efficient and passenger-focused rail system.

In the interim, while National Rail Contracts (NRCs) remain in place, we will set stretching performance targets for each operator through the annual business planning process. These targets will be specific to each operator, reflecting their individual circumstances. Where performance falls short, we will require operators to put in place robust improvement plans. The Secretary of State has already met a number of poorly performing train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, setting clear expectations for immediate improvement.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how she plans to manage the capacity of DfT OLR Holdings Limited to absorb additional rail franchises; and what steps she is taking to expand its capabilities.

The responsibility for the transfers from the private to the public sectors lies with DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL). DOHL is tasked with undertaking these transfers in an efficient and effective manner with no disruption to passengers and employees. The Board has a strong mix of skills, expertise and experience in the rail industry that covers safety, rail franchising, finance and management accounting, project change, project management and contracts. DOHL has managed four successful transfers so far and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of all train operating companies into public ownership.

The Department will continue to work with DOHL and ensure that it has sufficient capacity to take on train operating companies and manage effectively the train operating companies currently under its control as we work towards Great British Railways. DOHL is already well versed in building up specialist capacity quickly in response to a need to transfer operations to the public sector at pace. Significant work is already underway by DOHL to bring in additional capacity and expertise. We are meeting regularly with DOHL to obtain assurances that it is scaling up appropriately to meet the opportunities and challenges of public ownership and operation.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any rail operators will be brought into public ownership before their contract expires.

The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill facilitates the Government’s commitment to bring passenger train operations into public ownership and enables the Secretary of State to commence the transition to public sector operation as current contracts reach their end date or contractual break point. This approach ensures that taxpayers will not need to compensate operating companies for ending contracts early.

The Bill does not exclude the possibility of terminating a contract before it expires if the train operating company defaults on its obligations, as set out in its respective National Rail Contract. National Rail Contracts are publicly available and can be accessed through the ‘Public register of rail passenger contracts’.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data her Department holds on the (a) number of applications for valuations of any type by the District Valuer that took longer than (i) three, (ii) six and (iii) 12 months to be completed from the point of application, by type of valuation and (b) the average timeframe for processing applications, in the latest period for which data is available; and if she will make a comparative estimate of the average timeframe for processing requests from NHS organisations.

The Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) District Valuer Services (DVS) provides independent, impartial, valuation and professional property advice across the entire public sector, and where public money or public functions are involved. In 2023-24 in total DVS received around 24,500 separate case requests, spread across 139 different case types. The length of time taken to complete a case varies depending on case type and complexity. The VOA does not hold data broken down into timeliness figures for the timeframes specified and as a comparison across all case types.

In 2023-24 the VOA handled around 3,400 cases relating to NHS premises, including over 2,900 cases relating to reimbursement of GP premises costs. Specifically, for cases related to reimbursement of GP premises costs, 55% were completed by DVS in under 3 months, 26% were completed between 3 and 6 months, 15% completed between 6 and 12 months, and 4% took over 12 months to complete. On average it took 121 days to complete a reimbursement of GP premises cost case, including negotiations with GPs and their advisers, so timeframes are not solely within the VOA’s control.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has received representations on an increase to the standard rate of vehicle excise duty in the next fiscal year.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on car ownership. The tax system encourages the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK’s legally binding climate change targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay VED annually according to CO2 emissions. From 1 April 2017, a reformed VED system was introduced for new cars. Under the reformed VED system, zero emission models currently pay nothing on first registration, whilst the most polluting pay over £2,600. In subsequent years, most cars move to a standard rate, currently set at an annual rate of £190. However from April 2025, electric cars will begin to pay VED in the same way as petrol and diesel vehicles, whilst an incentive is maintained for electric cars at the point of purchase.

Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect. The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. As with all taxes, the Government welcomes representations from the public on how the tax system can be improved.

Following the spending audit, the Chancellor has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy and address the £22 billion hole the government has inherited. Decisions on how to do that will be taken at the Budget in the round.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will adjust the method of assessment for vehicle excise duty rates in the next fiscal year.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on car ownership. The tax system encourages the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK’s legally binding climate change targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay VED annually according to CO2 emissions. From 1 April 2017, a reformed VED system was introduced for new cars. Under the reformed VED system, zero emission models currently pay nothing on first registration, whilst the most polluting pay over £2,600. In subsequent years, most cars move to a standard rate, currently set at an annual rate of £190. However from April 2025, electric cars will begin to pay VED in the same way as petrol and diesel vehicles, whilst an incentive is maintained for electric cars at the point of purchase.

Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect. The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. As with all taxes, the Government welcomes representations from the public on how the tax system can be improved.

Following the spending audit, the Chancellor has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy and address the £22 billion hole the government has inherited. Decisions on how to do that will be taken at the Budget in the round.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will re-band aviation duty.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) exists to ensure that aviation makes a fair contribution to the public finances and applies to UK-departing flights.

Reforms to APD took effect in April 2023. These included the introduction of the new domestic band for domestic flights, initially set at half the rate for short-haul international flights (except for larger private jets). The domestic band applies to all flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and for 2024/25 is set at £7 for economy passengers.

These reforms also introduced a new ultra long-haul band covering flights that are greater than 5,500 miles from London. This ensures that those who fly furthest, and have the greatest impact on emissions, incur the greatest duty.

The Government keeps all tax policy under review. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy in the round at fiscal events in the context of public finances and any changes will be announced at Budget.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will increase domestic aviation duty.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) exists to ensure that aviation makes a fair contribution to the public finances and applies to UK-departing flights.

Reforms to APD took effect in April 2023. These included the introduction of the new domestic band for domestic flights, initially set at half the rate for short-haul international flights (except for larger private jets). The domestic band applies to all flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and for 2024/25 is set at £7 for economy passengers.

These reforms also introduced a new ultra long-haul band covering flights that are greater than 5,500 miles from London. This ensures that those who fly furthest, and have the greatest impact on emissions, incur the greatest duty.

The Government keeps all tax policy under review. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy in the round at fiscal events in the context of public finances and any changes will be announced at Budget.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
11th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Police National Computer retains nominal records for deceased people.

The Police National Computer (PNC) provides police and law enforcement agencies with access to centralised information about individuals, property and vehicles.

A Nominal record is retained until at least 100 years after a Nominal’s birth, regardless of the date of death. This is to facilitate criminal investigations that might start or conclude after the death of a Nominal.

The data retention practices on the PNC are governed by:

1. The Police Information and Records Management Code of Practice

2. The Code of Practice for the Police National Computer (PNC) and the Law Enforcement Data Service (LEDS)

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
23rd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has for the Northeye detention centre in Bexhill.

We have got to work straight away on fixing the asylum system and protecting our border.

That has already included a surge in capacity on returning failed asylum seekers, as demonstrated by last week’s flight to Vietnamand Timor-Leste. I will be considering options and will take a view on the future use of the Northeye site in due course.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Home Office)
11th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisoners are on remand for (a) summary, (b) either way and (c) indictable offences, by (i) the date of custody and (ii) offence type.

The requested information has been provided in the attached data table. To note that the ‘date of custody’ represented in this data is ‘30 September 2024’ (i.e. the individuals were in the remand prison population on this date) - this is in line with the most recent published prison population data available in the department’s offender management statistics.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of (a) the total number and (b) the percentage of prisoners on remand of the total prison population in each of the next five years.

The Ministry of Justice published prison population projections for 2024-2029 on 5 December 2024, which are available here: Prison Population Projections: 2024 to 2029 - GOV.UK.

These include the number of people projected to be remanded into custody from September 2025 to September 2028. Under the central scenario, the projected total number and percentage of prisoners on remand over this period is as follows:

Date

Total

Remand

Percentage

Sep-24

86,966

17,662

20%

Sep-25

89,100

19,300

22%

Sep-26

93,500

20,200

22%

Sep-27

97,300

20,800

21%

Sep-28

99,800

21,300

21%

The prison population projections are published annually and projections for after September 2028 will be available in subsequent publications.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to publish the impact evaluation for the acquisitive crime project.

We will publish the first impact evaluation of the Acquisitive Crime project next year. This will evaluate the effectiveness of compulsory, global positioning system (GPS) location monitoring at deterring burglars, robbers and thieves from reoffending and supporting police investigation and prosecutions.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
10th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what date she signed the concordat on court sitting days.

The former Lord Chancellor reached an agreement with the judiciary on the Concordat in June 2024. The former Lord Chancellor sent the initial Concordat proposal to the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of the Tribunals on 5th June. The Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of the Tribunals responded on 12th June, and the former Lord Chancellor sent a final letter of response, concluding the process, on 28th June 2024.

Since then, the current Lord Chancellor increased the allocation by an additional 500 Crown Court sitting days in September, and on 17 December announced further funding for up to an additional 2,000 Crown Court days, bringing the Crown Court allocation to up to 2,500 days beyond that originally agreed through the Concordat. This brings the total to 108,500, the highest level since financial year 2015/16.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
14th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) arrests, (b) charges and (c) convictions have been made using data from the Acquisitive Crime GPS tagging programme in each year since its introduction.

Between 12 April 2021 and 15 November 2024, there were 213 charges and 152 convictions using the data from the Acquisitive Crime project.

The Department does not hold data on the dates of these charges and convictions or on the number of arrests, this data is held by individual police forces.

The objective of this project is not solely to catch and convict individuals for further offences, but to deter them from committing crime and reduce long term reoffending, by ensuring probation officers can continuously monitor offenders’ whereabouts at all times. The first robust evaluation of the effectiveness of this project will be published next year.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
14th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential barriers to successful prosecution using information from the Acquisitive Crime GPS tagging programme.

The effectiveness of the acquisitive crime project is currently subject to robust evaluation and conclusions will be made available following the publication of the upcoming process and impact evaluations. It is not possible to provide any information prior to the impact evaluation being published.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
14th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of offenders with convictions related to alcohol use have been subject to an alcohol monitoring tag (a) on release from prison and (b) as part of a community sentence in each year since its introduction.

The number of individuals subject to an alcohol monitoring tag on release from prison and as part of a community sentence can be found here: Electronic Monitoring Statistics Annual Publication, March 2024 - GOV.UK.

We are unable to produce data on the proportion of offenders with convictions related to alcohol use have been subject to an alcohol monitoring tag.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on how hon. Members should be able to participate in the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.

The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.

A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the process will be for appointing members to the expert panel to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.

The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.

This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.

Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the expert panel to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 will be (a) appointed and (b) announced.

The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.

The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.

This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.

Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) victims and (b) the (i) family and (ii) friends of victims of crime will be represented on the expert panel for the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.

The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.

This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.

Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on (a) when and (b) how evidence should be collected from third parties.

This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.

The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.

The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.

The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.

The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on whether it should collect evidence on public opinion on sentencing.

This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.

The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.

The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.

The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.

The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury