Richard Holden Alert Sample


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View the Parallel Parliament page for Richard Holden

Information between 3rd September 2025 - 13th September 2025

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Division Votes
3 Sep 2025 - Property Taxes - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 93 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 98 Noes - 335
3 Sep 2025 - Hospitality Sector - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 91 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 158 Noes - 334
4 Sep 2025 - House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 71 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 338 Noes - 74
4 Sep 2025 - House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 72 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 331 Noes - 73
4 Sep 2025 - House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 74 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 336 Noes - 77
10 Sep 2025 - Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 85 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 92 Noes - 364
10 Sep 2025 - Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 87 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 158 Noes - 297
10 Sep 2025 - Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 86 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 153 Noes - 300
10 Sep 2025 - Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 85 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 362 Noes - 87
9 Sep 2025 - Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 102 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 116 Noes - 333
9 Sep 2025 - Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 104 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 330 Noes - 179
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 91 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 335 Noes - 160
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 90 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 401 Noes - 96
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 91 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 325 Noes - 171
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 89 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 404 Noes - 98
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 89 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 336 Noes - 158
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 91 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 402 Noes - 97
8 Sep 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Richard Holden voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 87 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 398 Noes - 93


Speeches
Richard Holden speeches from: Oral Answers to Questions
Richard Holden contributed 3 speeches (458 words)
Thursday 11th September 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Transport
Richard Holden speeches from: Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
Richard Holden contributed 2 speeches (773 words)
Report stage
Wednesday 10th September 2025 - Commons Chamber
Department for Transport


Written Answers
9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64569 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the (a) provisional and (b) final cost of the works has been agreed.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The (a) provisional cost of works has been approved, but the (b) invoice for the works has not yet been submitted. The final cost of works will be included in the Cabinet Office spend transparency reporting once invoiced by the supplier.

Civil Service: Equality
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the cost to the civil service of the requirement in the Employment Rights Bill to provide (a) additional facility time to trade unions and (b) facility time for equality representatives.

Answered by Justin Madders

In October 2024 the government published impact assessments on the trade union-related measures within the Employment Rights Bill and these are available here: Employment Rights Bill: impact assessments - GOV.UK

Universities: Finance
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 60215 on Universities: Finance, whether the Office for Students has (a) agreed emergency funding not yet received to any (i) university, (ii) higher education and (iii) further education provider and (b) provided a (A) guarantee and (B) other beneficial financial package to support any university since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Janet Daby

The Office for Students has not agreed any emergency funding that is yet to be received for any university, higher education provider, or further education provider, nor has it provided any guarantee or other beneficial financial package to support any university since 4 July 2024.

Cabinet Office: Directors
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 63327 on Cabinet Office: Directors, if he has considered making the Government Lead Non Executive a member of his Department's board.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

A model has been established whereby Baroness Casey, who was appointed as Government Lead Non-Executive on 3 January 2025, will not sit on the Cabinet Office Board. Instead, she will maintain a roving brief across government supporting ministerial priorities and non-executive board members.

Companies House: Databases
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62769 on Companies House: Databases, whether Companies House plans to remove entry 08881386 from the register.

Answered by Justin Madders

Companies House will take appropriate action using the powers available whenever suspicious information is brought to its attention or identified by internal checks.

The company in question was dissolved in 2018 and does not form part of the Register of Companies, though its records will remain available for 20 years.

Companies House will act to remove inaccurate information relating to the company in question from the public records.

Payment Systems Regulator
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the merger of the Payment Services Regulator in the Financial Conduct Authority will require (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation; and what her planned timetable is for completion of that merger.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has carried out important work to support the UK’s world leading payments sector. However, moving forward, the Government wishes to see a more streamlined regulatory environment with minimal overlap between regulators’ responsibilities. That is why the Government has announced its intentions to consolidate the PSR and its functions primarily within the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The Government will consult on the details of this measure shortly. The consolidation of the PSR into the FCA will require primary legislation, which will be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows. The PSR and FCA are already taking steps to realise the benefits of a more streamlined regulatory framework, including creating a new joint PSR/FCA payments executive director; updating the Memorandum of Understanding between the PSR, the FCA, the Bank of England and the PRA; jointly progressing Open Banking; and undertaking joint stakeholder engagement.

College for National Security: Equality
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the College for National Security Privacy Notice published on 19 June 2025, what steps he has taken to ensure that diversity data collected by the College for National Security is not used to inform (a) recruitment, (b) promotion, and (c) access to training decisions, (i) directly and (ii) indirectly.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer to my answer for [PQ 69607] provided on [21/07/2025]. CfNS does not at the moment collect diversity data.

Personal data is currently collected and processed in line with the College’s Privacy Notice, which can be accessed on GOV.UK here.

Arms Length Bodies: Equality
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 64566 on Arms Length Bodies, whether exempted expenditure will be published in one location; how it will be published; and when it will be published.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Expenditure which is exempted under the requirements of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance must be reported to the Cabinet Office by departments and ALBs who employ civil servants. Reported expenditure is published annually.

Government Departments: Gender
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason page 38 of the document entitled Government Function: People, Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework, updated on 30 June 2025, refers to gender rather than sex.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The document entitled Government Function: People, Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework uses the term gender on the basis that this refers to the legally required business publication of Gender Pay Gap reporting as per the Equality Act 2010.

Cabinet Office: Written Questions
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to Question 43120, tabled on 1 April 2025, on Honours: Forfeiture.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The answer to question 43120 was published on 1 September 2025.

New Media Unit: Staff
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff work in the New Media Unit; and what the annual budget for that unit is.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The New Media Unit currently has 19 FTE, of which 17 are permanent and 2 are loanees. Assuming the NMU is fully staffed with a consistent grade mix, throughout the financial year the annual salary costs currently would be circa £1.28 million.

Public Appointments: Political Impartiality
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Public Appointments Commission has issued guidance on the declaration of significant political activity for regulated appointments.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Commissioner for Public Appointments has not issued guidance on the publication of declarations of political activity. As set out in previous answers, rules on political activity by prospective or existing public appointees are already clearly set out within both the Governance Code on Public Appointments and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, and the process for declaring interests, including how they should be published by departments, is also set out in detail on Gov.uk.

House of Lords Appointments Commission
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 62083 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, on what date the public appointments process opened; whether it has been extended; and whether any people who applied have been informed that they have not been appointed.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question 66291, which sets out when the campaign was launched and subsequently closed to applications.

The Government announced on 19 August 2025 that, as a result of the campaign, Professor Adeeba Malik CBE DL had been appointed as an independent member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission with effect from 1 September 2025. All candidates who applied as part of this campaign have been notified of the outcome accordingly.

House of Lords Appointments Commission
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 66291 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, for what reason members of the Commission have not been appointed.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question 66291, which sets out when the campaign was launched and subsequently closed to applications.

The Government announced on 19 August 2025 that, as a result of the campaign, Professor Adeeba Malik CBE DL had been appointed as an independent member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission with effect from 1 September 2025. All candidates who applied as part of this campaign have been notified of the outcome accordingly.

Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Cabinet Secretary has delegated his attendance to the Main Honours Committee.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service is responsible for the operation of the honours system, but as is customary, delegates this responsibility to another senior Permanent Secretary.

Lobbying: Official Hospitality
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department provides on holding departmental receptions at the offices of consultant lobbying firms.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare

The Ministerial Code sets out guidance for Ministers on engaging with external stakeholders.

Separate guidance relating to the regulation of consultant lobbying is published by the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists.

Airports: National Policy Statements
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question HL9412 on Heathrow Airport: Planning Permission, what the provisional timetable is for the review of the Airports National Policy Statement; and what her planned target date is for (a) publication for consultation and (b) ratification by Parliament of a revised National Policy Statement.

Answered by Mike Kane

The Government published a letter to potential promoters inviting proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. The Government is now assessing the proposals against the criteria set out in the letter. Once this is complete the Government will move quickly to review the Airports National Policy Statement. We cannot speculate on the timings of the review at this stage, however when conducting the review, the Secretary of State will comply with the requirements in the Planning Act 2008, including consultation, publicity and parliamentary requirements.

Aviation: Fares
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has a policy on airlines using (a) individualized and (b) surveillance pricing when setting air fares.

Answered by Mike Kane

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector with the cost of flights determined by airlines according to a range of factors. The Minister for Aviation and officials from the Department for Transport meet regularly with airlines to discuss a range of topics, including pricing.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has statutory competition functions in relation to airline markets. In addition, the CMA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) both have responsibilities for enforcing consumer protections relating to price transparency, contract terms and passenger rights, including those during flight disruption.

Intelligence and Security Committee: Conflict of Interests
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament of 1 May 2025, and pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54011 on Intelligence and Security Committee, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the Committee's representation to the Government that safeguards against conflicts of interest have now been comprehensively dismantled.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare

Established processes are in place to monitor and manage actual and perceived conflicts of interest.

Electric Vehicles: Finance
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she could publish a breakdown of the Government's £4.5 billion spend on the transition to electric vehicles by (a) scheme and (b) year.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government is investing over £4.5 billion to help industry and consumers transition to zero emission vehicles.

Following the Spending Review, the Government committed £1.8 billion in investment to decarbonise road transport from 2026-27 to 2029-30.  This includes £1.4 billion to support the continued uptake of zero emission vehicles, including vans and HGVs, and £400 million to support the rollout of charging infrastructure. The £400m includes funding for charging along the strategic road network in England, charging infrastructure to facilitate the deployment of zero emission vans and HGVs, and existing grants.

In financial year 2025/26, £320m was made available at the Autumn Statement in 2024 to support investment in charging infrastructure and the uptake of zero emission vehicles. A further £2.5 billion has been made available to industry through the DRIVE35 programme.

Cabinet Office: Managers
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question HL8627 on Cabinet Office: Managers, which business units the 540 staff leaving are from.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The 540 refers to the number of applications that were approved and is subject to the individual's final acceptance.

The voluntary exit process has not yet concluded, so we are unable to report on which business units individuals will be leaving from.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Friday 5th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.91 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the treatment of double cab pick-up vehicles on (a) SMEs, (b) the self-employed and (c) people who work in the construction industry; and what estimate she has made of the number of taxpayers impacted by those changes in 2025-26.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Double Cab Pick Up vehicles (DCPUs) have in the past been treated as goods vehicles for tax purposes, rather than cars. Following a judgement by the Court of Appeal, DCPUs must be treated as cars, rather than goods vehicles, for certain tax purposes, based on their primary suitability.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the government had to make difficult decisions, and in the given fiscal situation was not willing to legislate to change this treatment and provide a significant tax break worth hundreds of millions per year for these vehicles.

The transitional arrangements put in place meant that this would not affect the capital allowances treatment of any business that already owned a DCPU, or that purchased one before April 2025; and businesses that purchase or have purchased a DCPU after this date will still be able to deduct the cost from their taxable profits at 18% or 6% per year. Under the transitional arrangements for Benefit-in-Kind treatment, anyone who accessed a DCPU before 6 April 2025 will not be impacted until the sooner of disposal of the vehicle, 5 April 2029 or when their lease expires.

In addition, there are alternatives to DCPUs (such as Single Cab Pick Ups, or 4x4 vans) that are still treated as goods vehicles.

Insurance Premium Tax
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Friday 5th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of insurance premium tax on the cost of car insurance; and whether she plans to increase insurance premium tax.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Last year, we established a cross-government motor insurance taskforce with a strategic remit to set the direction for UK government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing car insurance premiums. The taskforce's final report will be published in the autumn.

Insurance pricing is a decision which is affected by a wide range of factors, and the taxes that insurers pay are just one part of this. There is additionally no guarantee that any reductions in IPT would be passed on to consumers.

We keep all taxes under review and the Chancellor makes decisions at Budgets in the context of the overall public finances

Cabinet Office: Buildings
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 53201 on Cabinet Office: Building, what major repairs are required to bring the building back into use.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

36 Whitehall requires major repairs and refurbishment to bring back into use and is being actively considered as part of the plans for London's government office estate.

Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 63329 on Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, what the (a) title and (b) purpose of that training was.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The title of the training course was Team Facilitated Conversations.

The purpose of the training was for the individual to gain the necessary skills and processes to resolve team conflicts across various sectors.

Government Communication Service: Public Appointments
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Thursday 4th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65153 on Government Communications Service: Reviews, whether the Director of Government Communications is being recruited externally through open and fair competition; and what the salary range is.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The selection process for this role was open and fair competition, overseen by the independent Civil Service Commission, chaired by the First Civil Service Commissioner. The salary range is £170,000 – £200,000.

Heathrow Airport: Construction
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Friday 5th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what substantive proposals her Department received relating to the construction of a third runway at Heathrow, other than from (a) Heathrow Airport Limited and (b) the Arora Group; and from which organisations.

Answered by Mike Kane

The Department received seven proposals for consideration through a structured internal assessment process.

The assessment process is designed to ensure that each proposal is examined carefully and consistently against the criteria set out in the Secretary of State’s 30 June letter. This includes a review of the proposals’ overall feasibility, their timelines, the costs and revenues associated with the scheme, details of the scheme’s financing and funding, the environmental impacts and mitigations, and deliverability of the scheme.

While we are not disclosing the names of promoters or details of their proposals at this stage, a further update will be provided in due course.

Parking: Taxation
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Friday 5th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to adopt working parking taxes.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The power to introduce a workplace parking levy sits with the local traffic authority.

Prison Accommodation
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Friday 5th September 2025

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29554 on Prison Accommodation, how many prison places were created as a result of crowding between (a) May 1997 and (b) 2010.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)

The previous Labour Government added nearly 28,000 places to the prison estate between 1997 and 2010. However, available records do not provide a breakdown for these figures of these places by category. It is therefore not possible to provide the number of places created through crowding.

Prison crowding data is published annually in Annex 2 of the HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK. This publication provides the percentage of prisoners held in crowded accommodation in each year in each prison since 1999. There is no earlier information on crowding available.

This Government is delivering the largest expansion of prison places since the Victorian era – with 2,500 new spaces already delivered and 14,000 on track for delivery by 2031.

Railways: Facilities Agreements
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance (a) Network Rail, (b) her Department and its agencies and (c) Great British Railways have produced on trade union facility time for railways staff.

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

Facility time arrangements are matters for individual rail employers and the trade unions to agree, in accordance with trade union and labour relations legislation.

Ethics and Integrity Commission: Correspondence
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 65879 on Ethics and Integrity Commission: Correspondence, if he will publish correspondence from external organisations on the Ethics and Integrity Commission received since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office does not routinely publish public correspondence.

King Charles III: Artworks
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64832 on King Charles III: Artworks, if he will provide a hyperlink to the breakdown of the take up for (a) UK Government departments and (b) arm's-length bodies on gov.uk.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one.

Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up including UK Government departments and Arms Length Bodies, wider public authorities and other eligible institutions can be found at www.gov.uk/government/news/conclusion-of-his-majesty-the-kings-free-portrait-scheme

Railways: Automation
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to support the roll out of automated train operation technology on (a) rail, (b) light rail, (c) Tube and (d) metro lines.

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

There are already a number of automated systems currently in use on various networks, the most notable being the Docklands Light Railway. Semi-automated systems are also operational on parts of Thameslink, the Elizabeth line and several London Underground lines. Further roll out would be subject to a full assessment of regulatory, technical and operational factors.

East Coast Main Line
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority's Annual Report 2024–25, published on 11 August 2025, for what reason no evaluation was completed for the East Coast Mainline programme.

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

The Department has continued to work closely with Network Rail and industry stakeholders on development of the recast East Coast Main Line timetable, planned for introduction this December. This timetable will realise the benefits of the investment made through the Enhancements Programme, and so discussions are ongoing with the Department’s Research and Evaluation team, and NISTA, to develop a suitable Evaluation Plan for the Programme once the final details of the timetable have been formally confirmed.

Bus Lanes
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to strengthen guidance to help ensure bus lanes operate only (a) when buses are running and (b) when traffic is heavy enough to cause delay to buses.

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

It is for local authorities to decide whether bus lanes are appropriate on their network, and to set the times of operation. The Department published Local Transport Note 1/24: Bus User Priority in March 2024 which includes advice on all aspects of bus priority including the design of bus lanes and their times of operation. LTN 1/24 is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bus-user-priority-ltn-124.

Train Operating Companies: Conditions of Employment and Trade Unions
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information (a) her Department and (b) Great British Railways holds on (i) the trade union agreements with each railway operator and (ii) the operating practices on employees rights in each railway operator.

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

The Department for Transport does not hold any records of individual trade union agreements or operating practices relating to employee rights for each individual railway operator. These matters are managed directly by the operators themselves.

Great British Railways does not currently exist as a statutory body and therefore holds no such information.

Railways: Trade Unions
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role (a) her Department and (b) its agencies will play in making agreements with trade unions on the nationalised railways.

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

As the employers, Network Rail and individual train operators, including those owned by DfT Operator Ltd, are responsible for negotiating agreements with the trade unions, under established collective bargaining arrangements.

The future role of Great British Railways in this process has still to be determined.

Public Sector: Pay
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications were made to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury under the approval of senior pay process for salaries above (a) £150,000 and (b) £174,000 since 4 July 2024; how many of those applications were (i) approved and (ii) rejected; and how many applications were (A) approved and (B) rejected for performance-related pay arrangements exceeding (1) £17,500 and (2) £25,000 since 4 July 2024.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Since 4 July 2024, HM Treasury has approved 200 cases under the senior pay approval process.

Following a July 2025 update to the guidance, HM Treasury approval is required for salaries above £174,000 and performance-related pay over £25,000.

Military Aircraft: Ministers
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31166 on Ministers: Aviation, how much air passenger duty has been paid for Prime Ministerial domestic travel on RAF-provided flights since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

During the period 4 July 2024 to present there have been a total of seven domestic tasks for which the Prime Minister (PM) was identified as the principal passenger.

The total of Air Passenger Duty (APD) paid for all passengers on those flights is £14,358.

Information is not held regarding the identity of individual passengers, but on the assumption that the PM was present for all legs that involved passenger movements, the total APD for the PM in this period was £1,578.

Department for Transport: Communication
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department has spent on (a) designing, (b) producing and (c) installing posters on departmental workstreams for its headquarters in London since 4 July 2024.

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

Since 4 July 2024, the Department for Transport has made no spend on designing posters to promote departmental workstreams in London offices.

Costs of producing and installing posters are covered by the fixed cost of the total Facilities Management contract.

Driving Tests
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of booking driving tests.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country.

Further information on these actions and progress on the plan can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-acts-to-make-thousands-of-extra-driving-tests-available-each-month.

All available driving test appointments are shown on the DVSA’s live booking system, and as well as releasing tests on a rolling 24-week basis on a Monday, additional appointments are released throughout the week. As new test appointments appear on the booking service at different times of the day and through the week, the DVSA advises candidates to continue to check for earlier appointments.

On 28 May, DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The consultation closed on 23 July. DVSA will review the feedback given and announce next steps as soon as possible. Further information on the consultation is available at:

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-car-driving-test-booking-rules/improving-car-driving-test-booking-rules.

This consultation is about changing the rules on how car driving tests can be booked and managed. The aim is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).

Road Traffic Control: Oxford
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64502 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, whether DVLA will be providing vehicle registration data to (a) Oxfordshire County Council and (b) Oxford City Council to facilitate the penalty notice enforcement of the Oxford traffic filters from 2026.

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

The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to make information about UK vehicles and their registered keepers available for use by a local authority for any purpose connected with the investigation of an offence. The law also allows the DVLA to make this information available to a local authority in England and Wales when that local authority is acting as an enforcement authority under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. These provisions would apply to Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire City Council in the usual way.

Department for Transport: Ministers' Private Offices
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department has spent on furniture, fittings and refurbishment for Ministers offices since 4 July 2024; and on what specific items.

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

Since 4 July 2024 the Department has spent £211.34 on redecoration and £2,769.49.

National Security: Finance
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 62994 on Defence: Expenditure, whether expenditure on (a) transport and (b) broadband networks are within the scope of spending on critical infrastructure.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As set out in the Government's answer of 1 July to Question 62994 on Defence: Expenditure, the Government defines defence and national security spending in line with NATO's definition. NATO's definition of defence and security related expenditure includes areas such as strengthening the defence industrial base and our energy security, enhancing civil preparedness and resilience, and countering hybrid treats.

Restoring Your Railway Fund
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the document entitled Fixing the foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, published on 29 July 2024, if she will publish the (a) equality impact assessment, (b) strategic environmental assessment and (b) environmental principles assessment produced for the Ministerial decision to cancel the Restoring Your Railway fund.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

On 8 July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer instructed HM Treasury officials to undertake a audit of public spending. The audit’s findings showed a forecast overspend on departmental spending of £21.9 billion above the resource departmental expenditure limit (RDEL) totals that had been set at Spring Budget 2024.

Taking immediate action to respond to the spending pressure, the government cancelled the Restoring Your Railway programme as a cost-saving measure of £85 million.

HM Treasury carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics in line with both our legal obligations and with our commitment to promoting fairness.

HM Treasury also carefully considers the environmental impacts of decisions in line with the environmental principles policy statement duty and the recognition of long-term environmental targets to tackle climate change.

Permanent Secretaries: Pay
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 65151 on Permanent Secretaries: Pay, which two Permanent Secretary roles were approved; and what the salaries were.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Since July 2024, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office have approved two Permanent Secretary roles to exceed the Permanent Secretary pay band; one in each the Department of Health and Social Care and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Artificial Intelligence
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether DVLA is making use of AI for (a) Automatic Number Plate Recognition and (b) supply of traffic enforcement data to local authorities.

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

While artificial intelligence (AI) is not currently in use for these purposes, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is actively monitoring developments with AI technology and will consider where and how it could potentially be used to help improve processes in the future.

Buses and Large Goods Vehicles: Licensing
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to respond to the consultation entitled Amendments to licensing restrictions: bus, coach and heavy goods vehicles, which closed on 5 June 2024.

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

The previous government consulted on proposals to amend licensing restrictions which would enable 18- to 20-year-olds to drive a bus and coach over 50km when driving a regular service and to enable some of the tests required to be passed in order to gain a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence to be taken before a provisional licence is issued. We are currently considering next steps.

c2c: Nationalisation
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of c2c's transfer to public ownership on levels of senior management and specialist operational expertise; how many such staff have left since the transfer; and what steps her Department is taking to retain senior management and specialist operational expertise from c2c within the publicly owned rail network.

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

The Government is determined to retain the committed and talented staff who keep the railways running for passengers. As services are transferred into public ownership, including c2c’s services, staff employed by the privately-owned operator transfer to the public sector operator in accordance with Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations. The potential impact of this is closely monitored throughout the transfer process by the Department and DFT Operator. The transfer of c2c’s services and staff to public sector operator, c2c Railway Limited, on 20 July 2025 was successful. c2c Railway Limited is responsible for recruitment and retention of its staff.

The Government’s reform of the railways, including the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), will continue to modernise the railway’s dedicated and skilled workforce. Through workforce reform and the simplification of industry processes, we aim to restore pride in the railway as an employer and empower every colleague to deliver better service and value. While details on exact roles are subject to further design work, GBR will continue to need colleagues from across the railway to continue the hard work that they do delivering for passengers. We will continue to engage with the industry on our plans for GBR.

Driving under Influence
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the alcohol drink drive limit level on the viability of (a) pubs, (b) restaurants, (c) cafes and (d) other hospitality businesses in rural areas.

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

As part of the development of our Road Safety Strategy, the Government is considering a range of policies relating to motoring offences such as drink driving and other matters of concern that have been raised.

The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.

Driving under Influence
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to reduce the micrograms of alcohol drink drive limit in England and Wales.

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

As part of the development of our Road Safety Strategy, the Government is considering a range of policies relating to motoring offences such as drink driving and other matters of concern that have been raised.

The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.

c2c Railway: Standards
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) punctuality, (b) reliability and (c) other quantified performance targets are for c2c Railway Limited under the Services Agreement with the Department for Transport; if she will publish those targets in full; what the defined outturn performance standards are for c2c Railway Limited under the Services Agreement; how each standard is measured; what minimum thresholds apply; what indicators and benchmarks are used to assess the continuing development of the customer offer for c2c Railway Limited under the Services Agreement; and how progress against those indicators will be reported.

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

The Services Agreement with c2c Railway Limited will be made available on the Department for Transport’s website in due course, which will set out the Secretary of State’s requirements for the publicly owned operator. c2c Railway Limited, along with other public sector operators, will be required to meet targets for punctuality, reliability, service quality and customer satisfaction every period, and it will also be required to publish its performance against these targets on a regular basis. In addition, a suite of Key Performance Indicators will be routinely monitored by the operator and the Department.

Railways: Environment Protection and Freedom of Information
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the nationalised railways will be subject to (a) the Freedom of Information and (b) Environmental Information Regulations regimes.

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

Great British Railways will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 in accordance with the statutory provisions that apply to public authorities. This means that information held by these bodies can, in general, be requested under these regimes, subject to the usual exemptions and exceptions.

Department for Transport: Buildings
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department has spent on (a) purchasing and (b) installing soundproof meeting pods for its headquarters in London since 4 July 2024; and how much of this relates to meeting pods for the Ministerial private office.

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

Since 4 July 2024 the Department has spent £27,083.43 purchasing and £8,229.23 installing soundproof meeting pods. Of those costs £18,055.62 for purchasing and £5,486.15 for installation relate to Ministerial private office.

Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Tuesday 9th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 63330 on Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, on what date the event took place; where it took place; who attended; and what the cost of the event was.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The expenditure for PYM ARTEMISPLUS EXPRE, made via the Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, was made for a training event on the 25-26th September 2024 with 75 attendees, including over 70 Government of Philippines officials in Manila, and totalled £777.

Taxis: VAT
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles, which closed on 8 August 2024, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of applying 20% VAT to private hire vehicle journeys on vulnerable users.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government continues to take this complex issue very seriously and recognises businesses’ need for certainty.

The Government is carefully considering the wide range of views shared through last year's consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles and will publish a detailed response soon.

Taxis: VAT
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to publish a response to her Department's consultation entitled Consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles, which closed on 8 August 2024.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government continues to take this complex issue very seriously and recognises businesses’ need for certainty.

The Government is carefully considering the wide range of views shared through last year's consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles and will publish a detailed response soon.

Taxis: VAT
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to impose VAT at 20% on all private hire fares.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government continues to take this complex issue very seriously and recognises businesses’ need for certainty.

The Government is carefully considering the wide range of views shared through last year's consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles and will publish a detailed response soon.

Taxis: VAT
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department produced an impact assessment prior to the Supreme Court judgment in DELTA Merseyside Ltd v Uber Britannia Ltd on the application of VAT to private hire vehicle journeys.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government continues to take this complex issue very seriously and recognises businesses’ need for certainty.

The Government is carefully considering the wide range of views shared through last year's consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles and will publish a detailed response soon.

Workplace Pensions
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that more customers can access pension pot consolidation more quickly.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to the consolidation of small workplace pension pots, when in the best interests of savers. The Pension Schemes Bill 2025 was introduced into Parliament on the 5 June. This includes measures to address the growing issue of deferred small pots, which normally arises when individuals change jobs and accumulate multiple pots over their working lives.

This will ensure workplace pension pots, initially worth £1,000 or less are automatically consolidated, unless members choose to opt-out. This will address the 13m stock of deferred small pots, and any future small pots that are created. As announced in our recent publication, ‘Workplace pensions: a Roadmap’ The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workplace-pensions-a-roadmap/workplace-pensions-a-roadmap#roadmap.

However, savers do not need to wait for legislation to benefit from consolidation. Currently, individuals can transfer and consolidate their pension pots themselves through a member-initiated transfer.

This will also soon be aided by the introduction of pensions dashboards. Once launched, pensions dashboards will allow people to find and view their pensions, including State Pension, securely and in one place online. This will help people to reconnect with each of their pension pots and better plan for retirement.

Lower Thames Crossing
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority's Annual Report 2024–25, published on 11 August 2025, for what reason no evaluation was completed for the Lower Thames Crossing.

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

The Lower Thames Crossing position can be found in the Tables section of the NISTA annual report which refers to the project post opening evaluation report (POPE). This report details the expected benefits once the scheme opens for traffic, how they will be measured and the actual ‘as measured’ benefits (3 years after opening) and produced as part of the Benefits Realisation and Evaluation Plan. Drafting of the POPE does not normally commence until the Full Business Case, which defines the expected benefits at the start of construction when they have reached full maturity and the scheme design is complete, has been approved.

THINK! Campaign
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the cancellation of the THINK! Road Safety communications campaign on road (a) injuries and (b) fatalities.

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

The Department continues to run the THINK! Campaign. In 2025/26 it has delivered a paid campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of drink driving and will continue to prioritise budget where it can have the most impact.

The THINK! campaign has successful cut through and trust among young drivers. We consistently see high claimed action taken, including changing driving behaviour, and positive shifts in attitudes towards priority issues including drink driving and speeding.

THINK! also promotes key road safety messages across its social channels and via ongoing radio advertising. The partner-led platform, THINK! 0%, continues to encourage drivers to always opt for 0% over an alcoholic drink if they’re getting behind the wheel. Assets are also made available for stakeholders and partners to promote. THINK! also supports road safety education for children via free resources for schools, parents and local authorities.

The Government treats road safety seriously, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. We continue to adapt and evolve our campaign strategy and will consider any requirements aligned to the future Road Safety Strategy.

Inflation
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Monday 8th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Spring Statement 2025: Policy Costings, updated on 2 April 2025, for what reason that document uses both (a) RPI and (b) CPI inflation.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government confirms tax rates and thresholds annually. In some cases, to make sure that they reflect the current economy, they are uprated to account for inflation. The policy paper entitled Spring Statement 2025: Policy Costings sets out the indexation assumed in the public finances forecast baseline, which underpin the costings set out in the document.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS), regulated by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), produces a range of inflation statistics. The most widely used estimates of inflation, both by Government and the private sector, are the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and the Retail Prices Index (RPI)


The Government agrees with UKSA that RPI is a flawed measure of inflation, which at times overstates and at times understates changes in prices. RPI’s shortcomings are well-documented. In 2013, as a result of flaws in the way it is measured, RPI lost its status as a National Statistic. Since 2010 the Government has been reducing its use of RPI and has committed to not introduce any new uses of RPI.

Railways: Standards
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Tuesday 9th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press releases entitled (a) London to Essex c2c services return to public control in step towards Great British Railways, published on 18 July 2025 and (b) New dawn for rail as South Western services return to public hands, published on 25 May 2025, what the rigorous performance standards are that each of the public sector operators will have to meet; when she plans to publish details of those performance standards; and whether those standards are outlined to companies before nationalisation takes place.

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

The standards will be set out in due course.

Fly-tipping: Forests
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Tuesday 9th September 2025

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps (a) his Department and (b) Natural England are taking to help tackle large-scale illegal waste dumping in ancient woodlands; and if he will review the adequacy of enforcement processes where (i) substantial environmental damage and (ii) tax evasion are suspected.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In the first instance, landowners are responsible for the security and integrity of their property. The ownership of such woodland can often be complex and split across hundreds of individual parcels. The Environment Agency (EA) is the lead authority for investigating large scale illegal deposits of waste. However other partner agencies such as Natural England may also play a role in associated activity for example if tipping occurs within a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Where substantial environmental damage is suspected the EA will work quickly to gather evidence to show a risk of serious pollution to meet the legal requirements for a Restriction Order. Natural England also has a suite of enforcement powers that can address damage to protected sites.

The EA hosts the Joint Unit for Waste Crime which brings together the EA, HMRC, National Crime Agency, the police, waste regulators from across the UK and other operational partners to share intelligence and tasking to disrupt and prevent serious organised waste crime. The EA has also launched its Economic Crime Unit which targets the financial motivation behind offending and uses financial mechanisms to inhibit the ability of offenders, including Organised Crime Groups, to operate.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Aviation
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 10th September 2025

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 62999 on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Aviation, whether information on the (a) number and (b) cost of domestic flights by Ministers since July 2024 is centrally held by his Department.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra does not centrally hold this information.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 10th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of state pensioners that have had their taxable pension income miscalculated due to HMRC applying 52 weeks of the uprated rate rather than accounting for the weeks paid at the previous year’s rate.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to making sure older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve in retirement. The State Pension is the foundation of the support available to them. Over the course of this Parliament, the yearly amount of the full new State Pension is currently projected to go up by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast.

In line with the Government's commitment to the Triple Lock for the duration of this parliament, over 12 million pensioners have benefitted from a 4.1 per cent increase to their basic or new State Pension this year. Those on a full new State Pension will be getting an additional £470 a year. The extra income comes on top of a substantial increase in 2024/25, which saw those receiving a full new State Pension get a £900 boost.

When it comes to taxes, social security benefits are treated differently depending on why they are paid. Generally, benefits that replace income, like the State Pension, are taxable. The Personal Allowance - the amount an individual can earn before paying tax - will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax.

Most pensioners who pay tax on their State Pension are in Pay As You Earn. For these customers, HMRC calculates how much State Pension an individual accrues each year by calculating one week at the old rate of State Pension and 51 weeks at the new rate and adjusting their tax code accordingly. This means most pensioners pay the right amount of tax in real time.

HMRC has become aware that for a sub-set of individuals in receipt of the State Pension, a calculation error means that their tax is calculated based on 52 weeks at the new rate. The difference in tax owed is approximately £5. Affected individuals can call HMRC to amend any incorrect figures of State Pension.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 10th September 2025

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure HMRC tax calculations accurately reflect the period in which state pension upratings apply; and whether HMRC has a planned date for resolving this issue.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to making sure older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve in retirement. The State Pension is the foundation of the support available to them. Over the course of this Parliament, the yearly amount of the full new State Pension is currently projected to go up by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast.

In line with the Government's commitment to the Triple Lock for the duration of this parliament, over 12 million pensioners have benefitted from a 4.1 per cent increase to their basic or new State Pension this year. Those on a full new State Pension will be getting an additional £470 a year. The extra income comes on top of a substantial increase in 2024/25, which saw those receiving a full new State Pension get a £900 boost.

When it comes to taxes, social security benefits are treated differently depending on why they are paid. Generally, benefits that replace income, like the State Pension, are taxable. The Personal Allowance - the amount an individual can earn before paying tax - will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax.

Most pensioners who pay tax on their State Pension are in Pay As You Earn. For these customers, HMRC calculates how much State Pension an individual accrues each year by calculating one week at the old rate of State Pension and 51 weeks at the new rate and adjusting their tax code accordingly. This means most pensioners pay the right amount of tax in real time.

HMRC has become aware that for a sub-set of individuals in receipt of the State Pension, a calculation error means that their tax is calculated based on 52 weeks at the new rate. The difference in tax owed is approximately £5. Affected individuals can call HMRC to amend any incorrect figures of State Pension.

Taxis: Licensing
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 10th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a licensing authority taking an extended period of time to accept or reject a private hire vehicle licence application.

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

The Department for Transport’s best practice guidance to licensing authorities in England is clear that all authorities should consider how best to deliver the statutory function of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. Providing an efficient licensing system benefits both those in the trade and those wishing to enter it, and passengers through greater choice and availability of services.

Taxis: Licensing
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 10th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the level of variation in the time taken to complete private hire vehicle licence applications across local authorities in England.

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

The Department for Transport’s best practice guidance to licensing authorities in England is clear that all authorities should consider how best to deliver the statutory function of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. Providing an efficient licensing system benefits both those in the trade and those wishing to enter it, and passengers through greater choice and availability of services.

Driving Licences: Older People
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Wednesday 10th September 2025

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to improve transparency in the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s decision‑making process for over‑70s driving licence renewals; and what weightings are given to recent eyesight tests conducted by qualified opticians when assessing over-70s driving licence renewals.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - 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.



Early Day Motions Signed
Wednesday 10th September
Richard Holden signed this EDM as a sponsor on Wednesday 10th September 2025

Conduct of Lord Mandelson

22 signatures (Most recent: 15 Sep 2025)
Tabled by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
That this House notes the concerning revelations regarding Lord Mandelson’s close friendship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein; expresses its concern at his lack of transparency regarding this relationship; requests for parliamentary time to be made available to debate this urgent matter; and calls for Lord Mandelson to resign as …



Richard Holden mentioned

Bill Documents
Sep. 12 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 12 September 2025 - large print
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden Jon Trickett Kerry McCarthy Sarah Champion Andy Slaughter .

Sep. 12 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 12 September 2025
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden Jon Trickett Kerry McCarthy Sarah Champion Andy Slaughter .

Sep. 11 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 11 September 2025
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden Jon Trickett Kerry McCarthy Sarah Champion .

Sep. 11 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 11 September 2025 - large print
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: REPORT STAGE Thursday 11 September 2025 2 _NC2 Mr Richard Holden Jon Trickett Kerry McCarthy Sarah Champion

Sep. 10 2025
Report Stage Proceedings as at 10 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Bill proceedings: Commons

Found: Not called_NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 10 2025
Report Stage Amendments as at 10 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 10 2025
Report Stage Amendments as at 10 September 2025 - large print
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 09 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 9 September 2025 - large print
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden REPORT STAGE Tuesday 9 September 2025 34 .

Sep. 09 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 9 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC31 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 09 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 9 September 2025 - large print
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: REPORT STAGE Tuesday 9 September 2025 2 _NC2 Mr Richard Holden Jon Trickett Kerry McCarthy .

Sep. 09 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 9 September 2025
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden Jon Trickett Kerry McCarthy .

Sep. 08 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 8 September 2025 - large print
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden 33 REPORT STAGE Monday 8 September 2025 .

Sep. 08 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 8 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 05 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 5 September 2025 - large print
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden 33 REPORT STAGE Friday 5 September 2025 .

Sep. 05 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 5 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 04 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 4 September 2025 - large print
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .

Sep. 04 2025
Notices of Amendments as at 4 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 2024-26
Amendment Paper

Found: _NC28 Jerome Mayhew Mr Richard Holden .