Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 70427 on East Anglia Rail Franchise: Nationalisation, whether she plans to (a) sign and (b) publish the Services Agreement before 12 October 2025; what the differences are between that Services Agreement and the existing franchise agreement; and which stakeholders have been consulted.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Services Agreement with the new public sector operator will come into force as Greater Anglia’s National Rail Contract expires and services transfer into public ownership on 12 October 2025. It will be made available on the Department for Transport website in due course.

Services Agreements have been designed to reflect the long-term public ownership of passenger services. A range of stakeholders were consulted and engaged in the design of the Services Agreement template, including train operating companies, DFT Operator Limited, Network Rail and passenger representatives. Services Agreements are customer-focused, performance-focused and will support the financial sustainability of the railways for taxpayers. The Agreements focus on the whole-industry outcomes we want operators to deliver and enable more decisions to be taken by those closest to passengers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to announce regulated rail fare changes for 2026.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

No decisions have been taken on the regulated fares change for 2026, but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers. There will be an update on changes to regulated rail fares in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department was informed of the Department for Transport’s decision to cancel the A12 widening scheme between junctions 19 and 25 before 8 July 2025.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government received confirmation that the A12 widening scheme had been cancelled on 7 July 2025. Together with National Highways and local partners, we are working through the impacts of this decision. We will be able to provide further details as this work progresses.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which dates services agreements were (a) signed and (b) published covering rail services on (i) C2C and (ii) South Western Railway when those franchises were brought under public ownership.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Services Agreements with South Western Railway Limited and c2c Railway Limited were signed on 23 May 2025 and 16 July 2025 and came into force on 25 May 2025 and 20 July 2025 respectively. The Agreements will be made available on the Department for Transport website in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of income from East Anglia rail services in each of the next five financial years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I expect Greater Anglia to continue to grow passenger numbers and income. I expect Greater Anglia will remain a net contributor, with the exact net contribution amounts and income levels to be agreed during the rolling business planning process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to decommission the A12 widening scheme; and what estimate she has made of the (a) timescale and (b) cost of that process.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is working with National Highways to bring the scheme to a close in an orderly way to end a long period of uncertainty for those affected. We are anticipating that the scheme will be substantially closed down by the end of 2026, with some activities closing down sooner.

National Highways will publish details on costs incurred in its Annual Report and Accounts in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department agreed with Mauritius that the UK would not be entitled to exercise sovereign rights and authorities with respect to Diego Garcia.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282. Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will exercise all rights and authorities which are required for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the base. The agreement robustly protects the national security of the UK and our allies.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when Ministers in her Department next plan to meet their Mauritian counterparts.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department agreed with Mauritius that the UK would not have the right to unilaterally extend the lease on the base at Diego Garcia.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK-Mauritius agreement on the Chagos Archipelago on national security, in the context of trends in the number public officials in Mauritius trained by China.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282. Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will exercise all rights and authorities which are required for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the base. The agreement robustly protects the national security of the UK and our allies.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department agreed with Mauritius to frontload payments under the agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282. Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will exercise all rights and authorities which are required for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the base. The agreement robustly protects the national security of the UK and our allies.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, If she will publish a list of all meetings between Jonathan Powell and (a) ministers and (b) officials in her Department during which China was discussed.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It has been the clear, consistent and longstanding policy not to provide details on any of the National Security Adviser's meetings.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, If she will publish all (a) ministerial level contacts and (b) senior official level contacts between the UK and China since 5 July 2025.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Meetings between Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ministers and senior representatives of the Chinese government can be found through publicly accessible means either on GOV.UK or ministers' social media accounts. As per usual diplomatic practice globally, we do not publish details of all official level contact with China. This would not be possible for practical and policy development reasons.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has received from Chinese counterparts on the China Audit.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese Government on a range of issues. The reaction of Chinese officials to the conclusion of the China audit is a matter of public record, and a statement from the Chinese Embassy spokesperson is available online.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Chinese counterparts on the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme since 5 July 2024; and what discussions (a) ministers and (b) officials have had with Chinese counterparts on their embassy planning application since 5 July 2025.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese Government about a range of issues.

Decisions on which foreign powers will be placed on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme are taken on a country-by-country basis, based on robust security and intelligence analysis.

The planning application has been called in by the former Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the current Secretary of State will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to his quasi-judicial role.