Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what evidential basis her Department has concluded that the majority of passengers benefit from the long-distance simplified ticketing trials.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded.

The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) Notices to Improve and (b) written instructions her Department issued to train operating companies for which the Department is the operator in relation to (i) service performance and (ii) financial control in December 2025.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has not issued any Notices to Improve on any of the DfT Operator train operating companies in December 2025 because none have been in breach of their formal contractual terms.

The DfT regularly engages with all operators on service performance and financial management, aligned with this Government's priorities on improving performance and reducing subsidy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ghost plates pose on (a) national security and (b) the ability of hostile or organised criminal actors to evade detection by ANPR technology; and whether she has commissioned a cross-government review on the potential impact of the use of illegal plates on investigative leads, including those related to violent crime, terrorism, and serious organised criminal activity.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Under the new Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January by the Department for Transport, the Government has announced firm action to tackle illegal or ‘ghost’ numberplates. This includes consulting on tougher penalties, including penalty points and vehicle seizure, more robust checks on number plate suppliers, and higher industry standards for numberplates. We also intend to commission targeted research to explore the potential use of artificial intelligence to identify illegal plates.

In addition, the Government has pledged £2.7m for each of the next three years to support a roads policing innovation programme. As part of this innovation programme, the Department for Transport and Home Office are working in collaboration with National Police Chiefs' Council and others to consider new approaches to tackling the issue of illegal plate usage.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) full time equivalent police officers and (b) headcount police officers there were in Essex Police as at 31 March in each financial year since 2019-20; and how many police officers (i) joined and (ii) left Essex Police in each of those years.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of police officers in post, and police officers joining and leaving the police service, on both a headcount and full-time equivalent basis, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of police officers in post in Essex Police as at 31 March 2007 to 2025 can be found in the ‘Workforce Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687f314d8adf4250705c96fa/open-data-table-police-workforce-230725.ods.

Information on the number of police officers joining Essex Police between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2025 can be found in the ‘Joiners Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687a363b312ee8a5f0806b7b/open-data-table-police-workforce-joiners-230725.ods.

Information on the number of police officers leaving Essex Police between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2025 can be found in the ‘Leavers Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687a364d312ee8a5f0806b7c/open-data-table-police-workforce-leavers-230725.ods.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to improve oversight and enforcement action against the use of unregulated informal value transfer systems.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Informal transfer value systems (IVTS) is a type of Money Service Business (MSB) activity. HM Revenue & Customs is the main supervisor of MSBs and leads inter-agency work to tackle the money laundering and illicit finance risks faced by the sector. That work includes a specific focus on IVTS.

Any entity engaging in IVTS without being registered with and supervised by HMRC (or another UK AML supervisor) is doing so illegally. HMRC supervision activity that identifies breaches of the MLR 2017 may result in warnings, civil sanctions, or criminal prosecution, depending on the severity and nature of the breaches.

HMRC works closely with partners to ensure a joined-up approach to tackling risks in the sector, including from unregistered MSBs. In the last 2 years, HMRC issued 27 financial penalties to MSBs and cancelled the registration of 12 others (meaning they can no longer lawfully engage in MSB activity). HMRC also issued 248 warning letters to MSBs which needed to improve their AML compliance.

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 the long-distance simplified fares trials on passengers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by London North Eastern Railway and is available at: https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 94029, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Food Scanner app on people with eating disorders.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has a series of digital tools to support adults and families to eat better and move more, including the food scanner app and the National Health Service weight loss plan app, email programmes, and websites. These tools are evidence-based and regularly reviewed to ensure alignment with current Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition guidance. Updates are ongoing to reflect the latest Government advice.

We are always looking to improve the app experience, including extending and personalising messaging. We welcome feedback from parents as well as organisations to aid us in this process.

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 British Transport Police’s crime-screening policy for pedal-cycle theft at railway stations on (a) public confidence in policing and (b) the delivery of a joined-up national transport network.

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

Ensuring the railway remains safe for passengers and staff, and creating a hostile environment for criminals on the network is a priority for both the Department for Transport and the British Transport Police (BTP). Decisions on the use of resource and deployment of officers across the railway are for the BTP, as an operationally independent police service.

The BTP’s screening policy, introduced in August 2024, takes into account factors including the possible time window an incident could have taken place in, but also the availability of witnesses and CCTV, the realistic prospect of a successful outcome, and a range of other factors. In some instances this may mean that an investigation is not progressed, but there is no blanket ruling and each case is assessed individually. BTP have not taken the decision to stop investigating bike theft that cannot be narrowed to a two-hour window.

BTP work closely with train operating companies and their counterparts in Home Office forces to run events at stations across the network, which provide practical crime prevention advice and services such as free bike marking to passengers. There was a 23% decrease in cycle theft recorded between 2022/23 and 2024/25.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of people who were employed in the automotive manufacturing sector in each month since June 2025 up to and including the most recent month for which figures are available.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 12th January is attached.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2025 to Question 99967, whether he will place copies of the training modules on close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, and the associated guidance on submitting data on consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset, in the Library of the House of Commons.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are no plans to place the training modules on close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, or the associated guidance on submitting data on consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset, in the library of the House of Commons.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2025 to WPQ 96699, if he will provide a hyperlink to that information.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Guidance on how to submit data about consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/maternity-services-data-set/guidance/msds-consanguinity-data-quality-guidance

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2025 to WPQ 69365, if he will publish a list of the changes made between the previous published version of the framework and the new version published on 16 June 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

We do not routinely publish the list of changes made to the document, as the most up to date version is the one we are measuring the performance of the function against.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her forthcoming Freight and Logistics Plan will identify (a) a National Freight Network, (b) key transport routes and (c) main transport bottlenecks for freight movements across transport modes; and what steps her Department is taking to integrate increased use of data and analytics as part of that Plan.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The forthcoming new plan for freight is informed by the broad range of information the Department holds on the freight and logistics system. This includes information that helps us understand key transport routes, like our published road traffic and maritime statistics, and information to help us understand network bottlenecks, such as our congestion statistics and stakeholder intelligence.

The plan will also reflect the importance of continually improving our data and analytical capabilities and strengthening our associated understanding of the freight and logistics system as an integrated multimodal network. Further detail on the measures and overarching approach we are taking forward to do so will be provided in the plan.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the powers conferred by the Harbours Act 1964, as amended by the Transport and Works Act 1992, allow Ministers to amend the text of primary legislation by Harbour Revision Order.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Harbour Revision Orders (HROs) are normally initiated by a harbour authority, but the Secretary of State can seek to impose a HRO under the Harbours Act 1964. The department is consulted on all HRO applications, but the Secretary of State does not have the power to directly amend orders that have been applied for by a harbour authority.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate provision of safeguarding for the ePEP online system.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department’s statutory guidance for Virtual School Heads sets out what electronic Personal Education Plans (ePEPs) must cover and the outcomes they are intended to support. While we do not mandate or endorse specific ePEP platforms, local authorities, as data controllers, are expected to comply with data protection requirements and safeguarding standards when selecting and using such systems. This means they are responsible for selecting secure platforms that comply with UK GDPR and safeguarding requirements to protect sensitive information about children in care.

In addition, the department’s ‘Data Protection in Schools’ guidance helps the education sector and local authorities understand their legal responsibilities when processing sensitive data. This guidance includes information on complying with UK GDPR, secure data storage and appropriate data sharing, all of which are appropriate to safeguarding children’s personal information.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the net zero targets for the Department and its arm’s-length bodies are; and what guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Net Zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008, is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies.

Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions, during the framework period.

Defra are reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with government priorities.

DWP and its arms-length bodies support national Net Zero targets via the Greening Government Commitments (GGCs), which are set and administered by Defra and DESNZ. DWP together with its arms-length bodies has to date met its Greening Government Commitments carbon targets, and progress is reported both in Defra’s Greening Government Commitments reports and in DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department expects to reach a decision on Transport for London’s proposal for Great Northern inner services before any change to the current operating model takes effect.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is working with TfL to assess the benefits of the proposal, including housing growth opportunities such as the potential development of 21,000 homes at Crews Hill.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer to Question 97331 on Airports: Immigration Controls, for what reason Border Force set queue time service standards at passport control.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The service standards for wait times at passport control, which Border Force publish against, stem from a Ministerial decision to monitor performance more accurately at the border.

A huge amount of work is involved to keep passenger wait times to a minimum, whilst maintaining border security, and we remain fully committed to working with our partners to minimise delays. Monitoring wait times, amongst other internal performance indicators, allows us to do just that.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of changes in LNER ticket prices since the introduction of simpler fares for long-distance travel.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has commissioned independent evaluation on the trial, this research has not yet concluded. The current evidence is provided by LNER and is available at

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/6k2Evw4OmGsvywKgBg9U9j/e63a4ca09d2c4e01fada29f731d90f7b/Simpler_Fares_LNER_Website_Copy_Enhanced_Sept_2025.pdf .

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her oral contribution of 8 January 2026, Official Report, column 420, on what evidential basis she said that the majority of single tickets under the extension of contactless ticketing will be the same price or lower than under the previous fares structure.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As part of our fares simplification to expand Pay As You Go (PAYG) with Contactless ticketing, we introduced single leg pricing. The Department worked with the rail industry to ensure that as much as possible, single fares will cost roughly half the price of a return. The Department is currently progressing the evaluation of the phases of PAYG rollout, in the South East, following the launch of phase one stations last year. This will measure the impact of both PAYG technology and fares reform on passenger experience. Once the evaluation is complete, we will make the final reports public.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of Advance tickets previously available on LNER routes remain available following the introduction of long-distance simplified fares.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

LNER does not publish data on the proportion of Advance/Fixed tickets sold before and after the commencement of the trial.

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 NHS Trusts terminating contracts for driving mobility assessment services, where Department for Transport grant funding does not cover the full cost of delivery, on disabled people and people with medical conditions who cannot access driving mobility assessment services when contracts are terminated; and what steps she is taking to ensure continuity of provision where such contracts end.

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

We take this issue very seriously and the department is committed to supporting everyone to travel safely. The Department for Transport provides grant funding to mobility centres that have been accredited by Driving Mobility in England. Where a mobility centre is closed by its provider, including where this is the NHS, we work with the wider mobility centres network and Driving Mobility to help maintain geographical coverage. Our priority remains safeguarding patient safety and continuity of assessments.

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 17 October 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)

No further funds have been spent on purchasing or installing soundproof meeting pods beyond that detailed in the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71266.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the information her Department holds on (a) key transport routes (b) main transport bottlenecks for freight movements across transport modes and (c) freight data; and what assessment she has made of whether her Department's analytical capabilities support the improvement of that information.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department holds a broad range of information on the freight and logistics system that provides an effective evidence-base for our work. This includes information that helps understand key transport routes, like our published road traffic and maritime statistics, and information to help understand network bottlenecks, such as our congestion statistics and stakeholder intelligence.

The Department recognises the importance of continually improving its analytical capabilities, as evidenced in the important recent update to the road freight values of time in our Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG). Further actions to improve our freight data provision and analytical capability are ongoing and will be announced in the upcoming Transport Data Action Plan and new plan for freight.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made in identifying a National Freight Network.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The 2022 Future of Freight plan committed to developing a fuller understanding of our domestic freight network from a multimodal perspective, before considering how it could be consolidated into a National Freight Network.

The Department is making good progress towards the goal of improving understanding of the freight and logistics system as an integrated multimodal network. This progress includes identifying, developing, and delivering a package of measures to enhance key data and insights capabilities.

Further detail on these measures and the overarching approach we are taking forward will be provided in the upcoming publication of the new plan for freight.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he will approve arrangements under which electricity generated by Drax from imported wood pellets is used to supply data centres; and what assessment he has made of the carbon and environmental impact of such use.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government is committed to ensuring that the UK’s AI infrastructure is developed in a way that is both sustainable and aligned with our net zero ambitions. The Low-Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference, covering Drax's generation from 2027-31, requires Drax to request permission should they wish to supply power to a data centre from their biomass units during this period. Should such a request arise, DESNZ, working with the Low Carbon Contracts Company, would assess this on its merits, taking account of security of supply, value for money, and sustainability matters. Without such permission any data centre on the site could not draw power directly from the biomass units during this period. Regardless of the supply arrangements, Drax is contractually obliged to meet enhanced sustainability criteria for their power generation, which include requiring 100% of the biomass used to be obtained from sustainable sources.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101830 on c2c Railway: Rolling Stock, how many Class 357 units operated by c2c have received all planned upgrades and modifications in full.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

All Door Overhaul and Tight Lock Auto Coupler Overhaul works planned for 2025/26 have been completed on 74 units. Planned train painting and corrosion repairs and LED lighting upgrades are currently being undertaken.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 102871, if she will provide a hyperlink to that information.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The cost-benefit analysis referred to previously and published alongside the VETS order 2023 can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1394/pdfs/uksiod_20231394_en_001.pdf.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of VAT on the cost of pilot training in the UK; and whether she has considered extending VAT exemption to all commercial pilot training regardless of provider status.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Pilot training may be exempt from VAT when provided by an eligible body which meets certain conditions (for example, when provided by a government institution or certain regulated organisations), but otherwise will be subject to the standard rate. VAT-registered businesses paying for training will be able to recover any VAT they pay.

The Government currently has no plans to remove VAT on pilot flight training courses more broadly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what responses have been received from delivery platforms following the Department’s letter on compliance with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983; and whether delivery platforms are expected to participate in the national work-related road safety charter.

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

The letters to the delivery platforms from the Department have been placed in the Library of the House. Responses were received from all three delivery platforms that were written to, and these provided a clear understanding of the requirements of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations.

On 7 January, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambition target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads by 65% by 2035.

The safety of anyone driving on our roads is a priority, and that includes those who drive for work. We have therefore announced as part of the strategy that we will pilot a voluntary National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses that require people to drive or ride for them. The aim of the Charter is to help employers reduce work-related road risk and improve safety for all road users by promoting good practice, and to improve compliance with current legislation and guidance. It will include the use of e-bikes alongside other vehicles.

The pilot will run for two years and will be monitored and fully evaluated. The Government will develop this Charter in collaboration with business and industry, and it will be informed by existing schemes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101859, when her Department's work with Active Travel England on research into side road zebra crossings began; and when she expects that work to conclude.

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

Active Travel England’s Inclusive Crossings Research is currently underway. In 2024, Active Travel England commissioned Transport for West Midlands to undertake research at the University of Warwick to evaluate the usability, safety, and design of side road zebra crossings, particularly for disabled pedestrians, and to inform future design specifications.

The data collection for the project primarily took place in the autumn of 2024 and into early 2025. Work to analyse and report on the findings has subsequently been undertaken and it is expected that the project will conclude later in 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) mandatory registration and (b) identification plates for e-scooters on road safety.

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

Under current legislation, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can be used but only as part of the Government’s national rental e-scooter trials.

The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, which will include e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows.

The impact of potential regulatory requirements such as the need for registration or identification plates, will be fully assessed as regulation is developed. The Department for Transport will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) up-front and (b) ongoing costs are for the corporate initiatives underpinning the projected efficiency saving by 2028–29; and how much of those costs relate to (i) AI, (ii) digital tools and (iii) shared services programmes.

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

As set out in the Departmental Efficiency Plan, the forecast efficiencies of £199m in 28/29 from corporate initiatives will come from a wide range of activities such as workforce reform, estate reform, greater use of AI and digital tools and de-duplication in processes, enabled in part by the establishment of Great British Railways.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which driving test centres were at 24 weeks wait times in December 2025.

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

The attached Excel document shows which driving test centres had a waiting time of 24 weeks in December 2025 for a practical car driving test.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time for a practical car driving test was in December 2025.

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

The national average waiting time for a practical car driving test in December 2025 was 21.9 weeks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2025 to Question 96696 on Roads: Biodiversity, what estimate she has made of the average cost for each Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project of (a) voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain (BNG) prior to May 2026, (b) delivering BNG on a compulsory basis during the third Road Period and (c) delivering BNG overall for schemes (i) currently under construction or (ii) in the delivery pipeline.

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

The department does not estimate the average cost of voluntary biodiversity net gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects on the Strategic Road Network. Biodiversity net gain provisions are determined on a project by project basis and assessed as part of the consenting process where relevant. The Roads Period 3 pipeline has not yet been finalised, and currently no schemes fall within the scope of mandatory biodiversity net gain requirements; therefore, no overall estimate has been made.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which schemes are included in the Department’s longer-term rail infrastructure pipeline; what the status is of the Ely–Haughley junction improvements within that pipeline; and what criteria are used to determine when schemes are considered for funding.

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

The Secretary of State updated Parliament on 8th July 2025 regarding those rail and road infrastructure projects which will progress following completion of SR25The previous government had announced a number of schemes that were unfunded, including Ely Area Capacity Enhancement.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for bringing forward legislation on micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters.

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

The Government has made a commitment to pursue legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters, when Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the privatisation of the Dartford Crossing.

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

Autumn Budget 2025 announced that the Government's preferred financing option for the Lower Thames Crossing scheme at this stage is the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model. Under this model, ownership and operations of the Dartford Crossing would transfer to a new regulated private sector entity, which would be responsible for operating and maintaining both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing, ensuring a consistent and reliable service. This entity will be overseen by a regulator to ensure it performs and protects users. New primary legislation is required to enable the RAB model to be utilised to deliver roads. We intend to put forward legislation, when parliamentary time allows for it.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full-time equivalent driving examiners employed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency were (a) in post and (b) delivering practical car driving tests in December 2025.

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

As of 30 December 2025, there were 1,618 full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) in post. Of those, 1,542 FTE were available to deliver practical car driving tests.

A DE is a paid Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency employee from the point at which they start their training and therefore considered to be in post.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bus passenger journeys were taken in (a) London and (b) England outside London in each month from January 2023 for which data is available.

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

The Department does not hold information on bus passenger journeys operated by calendar month in London or England outside London.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the projected efficiency saving from corporate initiatives by 2028–29 represents cash reductions in Departmental expenditure, as opposed to productivity improvements, cost avoidance or spending reclassification.

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

The Department for Transport’s published Departmental Efficiency Plan states that £199m in corporate initiatives efficiencies are forecast to be delivered in 2028/29. These efficiencies are considered cash releasing efficiencies (i.e. they reduce our expenditure requirements) in line with the definition in the Government Efficiency Framework.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2025 to Question 99925, what assumptions were used to estimate that the funding increases described will enable local authorities to fill an additional one million potholes per year, including assumptions on (a) the average cost of a pothole repair, (b) the proportion of funding allocated to reactive pothole repairs rather than other maintenance activity, and (c) regional variation in repair costs.

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

The estimate is based on the industry assumption that the national average cost of repairing a pothole is approximately £70. Using this figure, the £7.3 billion of funding from 2026/27 - 2029/30 would enable local authorities to fix millions of additional potholes each year when compared to previous funding levels.

Alongside funding to support local authorities in repairing potholes, the Government has also taken action to prevent them from forming in the first place. A share of the increased investment that the Government made available in this financial year and in future years is contingent on local highway authorities demonstrating how they are complying with best practice in highways maintenance, including the greater adoption of preventative maintenance. These requirements are intended to incentivise local authorities to adopt more preventative maintenance and other best practice to ensure roads are kept in good condition for longer, fewer potholes form in the first place and that this funding is spent as effectively as possible in improving the condition of local roads.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the funding for the infrastructure upgrade programme on South Western Railway has been spent to date.

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

The most recent infrastructure upgrade programme for South Western Railway was completed in 2020. The Government keeps future investment requirements under review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned completion date is for the Barking station upgrade being delivered by c2c.

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

The estimated completion date for the Barking station upgrade is autumn 2026. The right-hand side gateline and lift are now complete and open to the public.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects to announce which schemes will be taken forward under the Access for All programme.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of the Access for All programme, before delivery funding was secured. On 15 January 2026, we confirmed that 8 Access for All projects will be progressing directly to delivery and 23 projects will undergo design work for potential future delivery.

Full details were provided to the House in a Written Ministerial Statement which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/improving-accessibility-at-railway-stations-across-britain.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the status is of the community rail programme; what changes have been made since 1 July 2024 to (a) the community rail recognition process, (b) guidance issued to train operating companies on community rail engagement and (c) the Department’s objectives for community rail; and if she will publish a summary of those changes.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department continues to support the accreditation process for Community Rail Partnerships (CRP). The Community Rail Network (CRN) reviews processes, accounts, and governance and recommends to the Department when a CRP has met a certain standard of operation to receive accreditation. The Department works with the CRN to continuously improve this process while maintaining the aims of accreditation.

The Department engages with train operating companies on Community Rail on a regular basis, and train operating companies continue to provide funding for the CRPs they support.

The Government is committed to supporting Community Rail in the longer term, and the establishment of Great British Railways provides the opportunity to improve how we support this important programme. The Department will provide an update if there are any changes to the way in which Community Rail is delivered.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101836 on Railways: Barnsley and Sheffield, what the revised launch date is for the GPS-based pay as you go trial between Sheffield and Barnsley.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We are continuing to work closely with Northern and the supplier to address the problems that have caused Digital Pay As You Go Trial 4 to be delayed, and will launch the trial as soon as possible. Northern will provide an update to participants in the respective trial as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding her Department has provided to support community rail, including (a) community rail partnerships and (b) station adopter schemes, in each financial year since 2019-20; and what funding is planned for 2025-26.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Community Rail Partnerships (CRP) are awarded funding from both the Community Rail Network (CRN) and train operating companies. CRPs then allocate funding to station adopter groups within their catchment. Funding has remained at a consistent level since 2019-20.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects construction works on the Lower Thames Crossing to commence.

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

Construction enabling works have commenced north and south of the River Thames. These include ground works to create haul roads, construction of site compounds, utility works, ecological and archaeological works and extensive pre-construction surveys are ongoing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an estimate of the fatality rate per vehicle mile travelled for hybrid, petrol, diesel and fully electric cars in each of the last five years.

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

The Department does not hold data that would enable an estimate of fatality rates per vehicle mile travelled by propulsion type.

The STATS19 collection and DVLA records provide a breakdown of fatalities in reported road traffic collisions by vehicle and propulsion type. This information is published in data table RAS0507 available on the gov.uk website.

However, data on mileage driven by vehicles of different propulsion types is not available to the Department. Consequently, it is not possible to calculate fatality rates per mile travelled by propulsion type.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered (a) establishing an investigation mechanism and (b) commissioning an independent review into the safety performance of hybrid vehicles.

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

As announced in the recently published Road Safety Strategy, the department will be establishing a data-led Road Safety Investigation Branch to learn lessons from road incidents, by taking a strategic, thematic approach, focusing on patterns of collisions, injury trends, and systemic safety issues.

There are currently no plans to commission an independent review into the safety performance of hybrid vehicles.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101854, how much funding is being provided over the Spending Review period in a) bus services, b) active travel infrastructure, and c) the Mode Shift Revenue Support grant; and over what years that funding will be allocated.

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

Funding for Bus Services can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-bus-grant-allocations/labg-revenue-allocations-2026-to-2029

Funding for Active Travel Infrastructure was published as part of the Spending Review 2025, and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document

Mode Shift Revenue Support grant: Up to £20 million provisional budget for 2026/27 – shared with Waterborne Freight Grant. Future funding arrangements subject to future departmental business planning.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Questions 89643, what health risks his Department has identified in relation to first cousin marriage; and whether the Department intends to publish the (a) evidence and (b) analysis informing those assessments.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Disease Registration Service is working with hospital trusts to continually improve the quality and completeness of data.

The Born in Bradford study provides the most definitive United Kingdom based evidence of risk of congenital anomalies. Results of this are publicly available at the following link:

https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/our-impacts/findings/?sf_paged=2

This includes a summary of health risks associated with consanguinity, specifically in Born in Bradford Evidence Briefing on Genes and health: Inheritance and Risk, available at the following link:

https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HG2954-BIHR-BiB-Evidence-Briefing-Genes-and-Health-4.pdf

The Born in Bradford data indicated the risk of genetic abnormalities doubles, from 3% to 6%, in infants where parents are first cousins, similar to the increase in risk for mothers of white British origin older than 34 years old. Further information on this is available at the following link:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23830354/

Other publicly available academic research also indicates that miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality are higher among consanguineous couples than non-consanguineous couples, with further information available at the following two links:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-69151-7#:~:text=Consanguinity%20and%20spontaneous%20abortion%20and,%3C%200.001%20in%20Model%20I

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1508879/

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the the Greater Anglia timetable changes from 14 December 2025 for meeting peak-time passenger demand at Billericay station over the period of the local plan.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Greater Anglia added extra carriages to a small number of Saturday services operating from Billericay as part of the December 2025 timetable change.

Greater Anglia monitors passenger demand and will make adjustments to train services and capacity where required, and where it is possible to do. I expect Greater Anglia to continue to work with local stakeholders to develop timetables for the future.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what milestone dates have been set for the introduction of AI-powered disruption updates on LNER services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In the coming months London North Eastern Railway will begin introducing advanced AI‑powered tools designed to keep passengers better informed and in control when travelling. This new capability will enable instant travel updates and make it easier for customers to manage their journeys during disruption.

These improvements will be supported by enhanced, data‑driven systems that aim to reduce delays and help deliver a more reliable railway for passengers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Greater Anglia trains are expected to be fitted with physical advanced monitoring equipment by the end of 2026.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Projects are still in development, but Greater Anglia estimates that between eight and twelve units in total will have physical monitoring equipment installed by the end of this year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment (a) her Department and (b) the National Crime Agency have made of the potential impact of extended family networks on facilitating the use of informal value transfer systems, including hawala, for the purposes of money laundering, terrorist financing and people trafficking.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The latest version of the Government’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing was published in July 2025, and reflects expert contributions from government, law enforcement and the private sector. The NRA 2025 specifically covers the risks from Informal Value Transfer Systems (IVTS), including Hawala networks. The NRA notes that IVTS can be exploited by criminals and terrorist actors. Furthermore, where IVTS are identified in UK money laundering investigations, they are principally linked to international laundering networks given their access to stores of value in locations which are useful to criminals.

In addition, the NCA published a National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime in 2025 (the NSA). The NSA identifies that IVTS are a widely used method of transferring money and are legal in the UK as long as the operator adheres to the Money Laundering Regulations and registers with HMRC for supervision. However, it is also known that serious and organised criminals use IVTS as a parallel banking facility due to the perception of lower chances of detection.