Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the proposed Great British Railways ticketing website and mobile application will be (a) built upon existing industry retail systems and (b) a newly developed retail platform owned and operated by Great British Railways.

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

Once Great British Railways (GBR) is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail. Further information about the approach to GBR’s future ticket retailing website and app will be made available in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 89630 on London North East Railway: Fares, whether she plans to roll out the LNER demand-based pricing model to the wider nationalised railway network.

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

The Department will set out further plans for fares reform, including any future approach to demand based pricing, in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 108801, what the estimated cost to the Intellectual Property Office of policies, programmes or staffing related to net zero, sustainability or green innovation objectives in each of the next five financial years.

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

We currently have a small amount of staff resource allocated to delivering our sustainability, net zero and green innovation objectives. Based on the planned continuation of this work at current levels, the estimated average annual cost over the next five years is approximately £58k.

In parallel, we are reviewing our future accommodation requirements with options under consideration including the retention of our existing IPO‑owned building or relocation to premises that meet net zero compliance standards. Full details are not yet available, and we do not anticipate any changes or associated costs on sustainability programmes for at least the next two years.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77644 on THINK! Campaign, what the outturn budget on the THINK! Road Safety communications campaign was in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; and what is the forecast budget for (i) 2025-26 and (ii) 2026-27.

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

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

The total spend on the THINK! road safety campaign for the years requested is as follows:

• 2023–24 outturn: £5,180,103.98

• 2024–25 outturn: £4,336,057

• 2025–26 forecast: £3,880,000

• 2026–27 forecast: £5,529,000

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 90402 on Restoring Your Railway Fund, if she will place a copy of the equality impact assessment on the closure in the Library.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question 94298, answered on 8 December 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 scores, what steps she is taking to reduce the performance gap between the UK nations and (a) Singapore, (b) Japan and (c) Vietnam; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the scores on the UK's (i) overall productivity, (ii) skills base and (iii) international competitiveness.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

High and rising standards across education, from early years to adulthood, are key to unlocking stronger outcomes and a better future for children and young people.

To drive high standards across the PISA subjects of mathematics, reading and science, the government has committed £27.7 million this financial year, supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme. We will also introduce a new reading assessment in year 8 to check progress. Following the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendations, we will revise the maths curriculum from key stages 1 to 3 to support mastery and ensure a strong foundation for all children. Regional improvement for standards and excellence teams also work closely with Maths and English Hubs to share best practice.

PISA rankings look at the relative position between the different countries, however, the scores provide an absolute measure of performance in a country and are comparable over time.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, whether the offence of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 is within the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The offence of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 is not within the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme as it is not an indictable only offence and is not specified in statute as qualifying for review under the scheme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026, whether proposed new penalties for not wearing a seat belt will apply to passengers in a Hackney Carriage black cab in London.

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

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, the Department for Transport has published a public consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, including seat belt usage. The consultation seeks views on strengthening sanctions for non‑compliance with seat belt requirements, including the potential introduction of penalty points, and additional penalty points for drivers who do not ensure child passengers are appropriately restrained.

No decisions have been taken, including on the detailed scope of any changes or how they would apply in practice. The consultation closes on 11 May 2026. Policy decisions will be taken after the consultation has closed and stakeholders’ views have been considered.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission report by the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool, Understanding electoral fraud vulnerability in Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin communities in England, published 2015, whether the Electoral Commission has made an assessment of the potential impact of levels of first cousin marriage on levels of electoral fraud.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The report referenced, “Understanding electoral fraud vulnerability in Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin communities in England”, was an independent academic report prepared for the Electoral Commission. It does not represent the Commission’s views. The Commission has not assessed the impact of first cousin marriage on electoral fraud.

‘Electoral fraud’ is used to refer to cases where someone has committed, or is alleged to have committed, specific electoral law offences. Although the UK has very low levels of proven electoral fraud, the Commission takes this issue seriously and knows from its public opinion research that it concerns some voters. Fraud, and the perception of fraud, undermines democracy and weakens the UK’s strong tradition of free and fair elections.

The Commission does not have a direct role in investigating allegations of electoral fraud; this is carried out by the police.

The Commission does have an important role in tackling electoral fraud and ensuring safeguards are in place across the electoral community. The Commission collects and publishes data from police forces across the UK on allegations of electoral fraud, so that the public has transparency over these figures. The Commission runs a campaign aimed at raising awareness of and helping prevent electoral fraud, in partnership with Crimestoppers.

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 (a) regulatory and (b) fiscal environment on the car-sharing market.

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

The Minister for Local Transport met with the car sharing sector in November to discuss challenges, opportunities, and how Government can help create a supportive environment for car sharing services for people across the UK.

The Department is actively considering the experiences shared by stakeholders along with the wider evidence base to develop appropriate measures to support the sector.

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 alignment of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU scheme on the costs of the operation of passenger ferries in Great Britain.

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

Linking the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and EU Emissions Trading Scheme is about making life easier for operators. It should minimise the administrative burden for operators and unlock greater access to a larger market, supporting economic growth and decarbonisation. Ongoing negotiations will determine the details and extent of alignment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 54870 on Parking: Fines, whether her Department holds a list of the 43 local authorities.

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

The Effectiveness of current civil parking penalty charge levels report, which has been deposited in the Library of the House, contains the full list of the 43 local authorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026, whether the updated Setting Local Speed Limits guidance will encourage lower speed limits.

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

Decisions on the most appropriate speed limits will continue to rest with local traffic authorities, working with the police who enforce them.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

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

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not hold the information requested by the Rt hon Member.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not operate vehicles and does not procure tyres.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 102872, what definition the Government uses for a pothole, including any criteria relating to minimum (a) size, (b) depth and (c) safety classification thresholds used for funding or repair estimates.

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

Local highway authorities are responsible for maintaining their roads under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980. Individual authorities set their own criteria, including the minimum size and depth at which a defect, or pothole, is recorded or repaired, and apply risk‑based assessments that account for local conditions, traffic volumes and safety considerations when making decisions on maintenance programmes. These thresholds therefore vary between areas and are not prescribed by the Department for Transport.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

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

The Department for Transport does not hold or collate the information requested.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Methodology used to calculate ratings for local road maintenance, published on 11 January 2025, whether special advisers played a role in the drafting of the statistical methodology.

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

The methodology underpinning the ratings was developed by departmental officials, including analytical professionals. As is routine for significant policy projects and announcements, special advisers were consulted as part of the policy development and ministerial clearance process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 65366 on Fixed Penalties, whether contractors will be permitted to (a) issue fixed penalty notices by the bus byelaws for profit and (b) pay staff per fine issued.

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

Guidance for local transport authorities on the byelaws provisions in the Bus Services Act 2025 is being developed and will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2025 to Question 100964 on DVLA: Disclosure of Information, whether he plans to remove access to DVLA data for traffic filters and 15 minute cities.

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

Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to make information about UK vehicles and their registered keepers available for use by local authorities for a range of appropriate purposes. There are no plans to make changes to these arrangements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's document, the Methodology used to calculate ratings for local road maintenance, published on 11 January 2025, why was metric 9 on decarbonisation of road maintenance deemed relevant to fixing potholes and road conditions; and what assessment has been made of the reliability of electric battery powered highway maintenance vehicles in very cold weather.

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

Metric 9 considers both whether a local highway authority has plans to decarbonise its maintenance operations and whether it has plans to increase climate resilience.

In relation to decarbonisation, lower carbon approaches to road maintenance, such as a greater focus on preventative treatments, are associated with better whole-life asset management. By treating roads preventatively before they require end-of-life replacement, local highway authorities can keep roads in good conditions for longer and prevent potholes, while also reducing costs and carbon emissions.

In relation to climate resilience, extreme weather events such as the heavy rainfalls of the beginning of this year or the heatwaves experienced over recent summers can accelerate road deterioration. Adapting roads so they better withstand these stresses, for example by improving drainage systems and using heat-durable materials, helps to maintain good road conditions.

It is for each local highway authority to determine which vehicles to use as part of its maintenance operation. As part of the Department's highways innovation programme, Live Labs 2, local authority-led consortia are trialling innovative road maintenance techniques and this includes the use of battery electric powered machinery. The delivery of Live Labs 2 is coordinated by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) and they will publish the programme's findings once trials have concluded.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice does not hold or collate the information requested centrally.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's transparency data entitled Local highway authority highways maintenance ratings and underlying metric scores 2025 to 2026, published on 11 January 2026, over what specific period of time was the road condition data for metrics (a) 1, (b) 2 and (c) 3 collected.

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

Metrics 1, 2 and 3 were based on road condition statistics for the financial year ending 2024. Data for the financial year ending 2024 was the most recent data available at the time of producing the ratings. Where local highway authorities were unable to provide data for the financial year ending 2024, data for the financial year ending 2023 was used.

Data on local classified roads can be collected over 2 years, with the majority of data from the most recent financial year. For the unclassified road network, data is collected over a 4-year period. Further detail on the data collection process and timelines can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/road-network-size-and-condition-statistics-guidance/road-condition-statistics-a-basic-guide-and-quality-assessment#timeliness-and-punctuality.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Local highway authority highways maintenance ratings and underlying metric scores, 2025, of 11 January 2026, when she plans to update the road condition datasets with (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 data.

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

The Department will update the local road maintenance ratings on an annual basis. Each update will use the most recent road condition data available at the time of publication. The current ratings already incorporate road condition statistics for the financial year ending 2024.

Future ratings will incorporate datasets from the financial year ending 2025 and, if available at the time of publication, from the financial year ending 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy, published January 2026, whether the updated Manual for Streets will encourage an increase in the amount of road and parking space for cars.

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

Decisions on how to allocate road space between different modes remain for local authorities, designers and practitioners.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 90730 on Ministers: Official Cars, whether the figures provided include Government Car Service transport for civil servants.

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

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer on 5th November 2025 (PQ 86664).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in business rates on planned private sector investment in Channel Tunnel rail services.

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

Business rates and the ongoing 2026 valuation process is a matter for the operationally independent Valuation Office Agency. The Government is committed to supporting a thriving and competitive international rail market, signing landmark deals with partner countries to establish new direct routes and working with industry partners to address the barriers to growth, paving the way for new entrants to the market and unlocking private investment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department does not own or have commercially contracted heavy vehicles. It has not procured any tyres of any type for that class of vehicle within the past 12 months.

The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.

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 kill switches in Chinese-made (a) cars and (b) buses on cyber security.

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

Modern vehicles – including cars and buses - are increasingly using software to support safer driving, to improve diagnostics and to provide a host of other services such as navigation and entertainment.

The Government takes national security extremely seriously and recognises the systemic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including vehicles. The National Cyber Security Centre has published guidance to help organisations understand and manage the associated risks, ensuring that system connectivity is approached in a way that balances security with the significant benefits it provides.

The department introduced two new regulations: one to strengthen vehicle cybersecurity and one on software updates (UN Reg 155 and UN Reg 156). The cybersecurity regulation sets out requirements to mitigate potential threats in vehicle construction, to monitor emerging threats and to respond to cyber-attacks.

We are aware of recent reports from Norway concerning an electric bus manufacturer and officials are looking into this, and the Transport Secretary will update the Transport Committee once the work is complete.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 84274 on Motorcycles: Manufacturing Industries, if she will provide a relevant hyperlink to the list of motorcycles eligible for grant support: and if she will provide a list of which of those motorcycles are Chinese made.

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

https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-vehicle-grants/motorcycles.

The Department does not hold information on manufacture location as part of the motorcycle grant.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 101487 on Motor Vehicles: Hire Services, if she will provide a hyperlink.

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

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-fleet-commitment/government-fleet-commitment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environmental Improvement Plan, published 1 December 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new PM2.5 target on (a) the number of Clean Air Zones in local authority areas, (b) the charges and scope of existing zones and (c) other measures required to reduce car use by (i) central and (ii) local government.

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

Clean Air Zones have been introduced to reduce local roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations from transport. We are committed to reducing air pollution from all sources and using the most effective policy tools to do so.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold or collate the information requested. The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has contingency plans to intervene in the event that private sector delivery of public electric vehicle chargepoints falls below the level required to meet the 2030 target.

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

An estimate of potential future demand for charge points was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: The National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 to a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030.

We closely monitor charge point rollout and publish public charger statistics monthly. Statistics include publicly and privately funded public charge points. We support uptake through targeted grants and funding and regularly engage with local authorities and the private sector on progress. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is expected to deliver another 100,000 public chargers across England, leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding. The LEVI Fund requires local authorities to complete quarterly reporting of charge point delivery.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, a) how much Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) funding has been i) allocated, ii) drawn down, and iii) spent, b) what the average time is between allocation and operational deployment of LEVI-funded chargepoints; and c) what assessment she has made of barriers to local authority delivery of LEVI-funded infrastructure.

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

£343 million capital funding has been allocated to 113 local authorities (LAs) across England through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. As of 2 March 2026, £328m funding has been delivered to 105 LAs. Spending by LAs is a matter between those LAs and their contracted suppliers and will be dependent on individual agreements.

Most LEVI installations are in the early stages of delivery. We do not hold data on the average time between allocation and operational deployment as it is too early to establish trends. Installations are expected to increase over the coming years.

We continually monitor and track barriers to local authority delivery, working with industry and LAs to develop practical solutions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how frequently her Department reviews private sector delivery against projected installation requirements for meeting the 2030 public chargepoint target.

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

An estimate of potential future demand for charge points was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: The National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 to a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030.

We closely monitor charge point rollout and publish public charger statistics monthly. Statistics include publicly and privately funded public charge points. We support uptake through targeted grants and funding and regularly engage with local authorities and the private sector on progress. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is expected to deliver another 100,000 public chargers across England, leveraging significant private sector investment alongside public funding. The LEVI Fund requires local authorities to complete quarterly reporting of charge point delivery.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the growth duty will apply to the Civil Aviation Commission.

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

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is covered by the current Growth Duty set out in Section 108 of the Deregulation Act 2015. This requires specified regulators to have regard to the desirability of promoting economic growth when delivering their regulatory functions; and to consider the importance for the promotion of economic growth of exercising regulatory functions in a way which ensures action is only taken when it is needed, and that any action taken is proportionate. The CAA voluntarily reports each year on its work to meet the Growth Duty. The Secretary of State laid the latest such report in both Houses of Parliament alongside the CAA’s Annual Report and Accounts in July 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost to the public purse has been of the Get that Electric Feeling advertising campaign; and whether she will publish a breakdown of that spending, including a) creative development and agency fees, b) media buying costs, including television, radio, digital and outdoor advertising, c) payments to external consultants or contractors, d) evaluation, research or audience testing costs, and e) the budget allocated for any future phases.

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

The Get That Electric Feeling campaign was established to help boost the uptake of electric vehicle ownership ahead of the phase out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. It aims to highlight the benefits of driving an electric car, including lower charging and maintenance costs.

The Get That Electric Feeling campaign has been launched under the Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower mission, with a total campaign budget for 2025/26 of £4.56 million, excluding contractors. As the campaign is currently live, we do not have a consolidated breakdown of costs.

Budgets for future phases have not yet been confirmed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to councils on higher parking fees for heavier vehicles.

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

No such guidance has been issued. Local authorities are best placed to determine requirements for their own area.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Rule H1 of the Highway Code, a) what assessment she has made of whether the hierarchy of road users alters expectations of legal responsibility in collisions involving motorists; b) whether her Department has undertaken any analysis of how the rule has been interpreted by insurers, police forces, or the courts; and c) whether guidance has been issued to clarify that motorists do not carry automatic presumption of fault under the hierarchy.

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

The previous government did not initiate any assessment of the impact of Rule H1 following their introduction of the rule in 2022.

Rule H1 of the Highway Code is an advisory rule. Although failure to comply with the advisory rules of the Highway Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, contraventions of these rules may be used as evidence in court to establish liability for a road traffic offence. Advisory rules include those which begin ‘should/should not’ and ‘do/do not’.

All road users are required to comply with road traffic law, in the interests of their own safety and that of other road users. If road users do not adopt a responsible attitude or if their use of the highway creates an unsafe environment, or causes nuisance, they may be committing a number of offences that can make them liable for prosecution.

Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been allocated to railways in Wales in each year of the Spending Review 2025.

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

The 2025 Spending Review determined the allocation of railway enhancement funding over the financial years 2026/27 to 2029/20.

The currently assumed annualised allocations for the £350 million committed for Wales rail enhancements within that period are as follows:

This investment marks the beginning of a long-term UK Government commitment to modernise Welsh railways as announced by the Prime Minister on 18 February. Further UK Government funding allocations for rail enhancements in Wales will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews.

Funding for the operation, maintenance, and renewal (OMR) of railways in Wales is separately determined under the Office for Rail and Road Periodic Review process. Funding to support passenger services operated by Transport for Wales (TfW) is a matter for Welsh Government (with the Department providing c.£20 million - £25 million p.a. in respect of TfW services operating in England, TfW's participation in Pay As You Go Fare schemes in England and to cover changes in Control Period Charges).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 99932 on Railways: Government Assistance, what the estimated level of support is for the contracted operators and Network Rail in each year from 2023-24.

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

The Department’s support for the 14 contracted operators and Network Rail was £9.60 per passenger journey in 2023/24.  As explained in the response to Question 96260, this support reduced to £8.47 per passenger journey in 2024/25, and it is estimated that it will continue to steadily decrease each year of the Spending Review period.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with National Highways, police and regional road safety partnerships on the suspension of motorway camera enforcement arising from technical faults; if she will publish a) interim guidance issued to enforcement bodies and b) any assessment of road safety risks during the outage period; and what steps she is taking to ensure resilience against future system failures.

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

The Department has worked closely with National Highways, the Home Office and the police to respond to a technical anomaly affecting some speed cameras on a limited number of motorways and A-roads. National Highways always keeps safety issues under review, and undertook a comprehensive safety assessment in this case. National Highways do not routinely publish these assessments.

The public must have confidence in technology on our roads, which is why we have announced an independent review into how the anomaly occurred, its handling, and the changes needed to ensure this cannot happen again.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her timetable is for the Government response to the consultation on restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions.

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

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:

Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities.

A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps.

The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which councils applied to the July 2025 tranche of applications for moving traffic offence enforcement fining powers.

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

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:

Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities.

A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps.

The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to undertake a national review of penalty charge levels for municipal parking.

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

In July 2025, the following local authorities applied to the Secretary of State for designated powers to carry out civil enforcement in respect of contraventions of moving traffic restrictions:

Brighton and Hove City Council, the Borough Council of Calderdale, Cornwall Council, Dorset Council, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Milton Keynes City Council and Slough Borough Council. The applicable Designation Order (SI:2025/1181) came into force on 9 December 2025 in respect of these local authorities.

A number of parking sector stakeholders conducted research into the issue of penalty charging levels, the findings of which we previously deposited in the House of Commons Library at the following link: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2287543/files. Officials are reviewing the research and its findings, and that will then inform decisions about next steps.

The Department plans to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' – commissioned by the previous Government – shortly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87788, whether airport turnover and revenues were a material consideration in the determination of airports' Rateable Value in the revaluation of business rates; and what information airports are required to pass to the Valuation Office Agency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Rateable Value of a property is a measure of its annual rental value. The best evidence to use in undertaking such valuations is actual rental evidence. For some classes of property there is a paucity or indeed no rental evidence as these properties are rarely or never let on the open market. In such cases Valuers use other methods such as the Receipts and Expenditure method, which estimates the rental value from an analysis of the trading accounts of the business occupying them.

When valuing by Receipts & Expenditure method considering accounts is a material consideration. The valuation is required to be carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date (01 April 2024 for the 2026 rating list). The accounts available for the years preceding that date should be considered to ensure that they fairly reflect the proper trading position at the valuation date. The outcomes of such valuations are then compared to the limited rental evidence available.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's statistics entitled Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation, published on 26 November 2025, for what reason the average Rateable Values of civil airports have increased by 295%.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The revaluation is required to be carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date, 01 April 2024 for the 2026 rating list.

The current rating list valuation is carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date, 01 April 2021 for the 2023 rating list.

The annual value at each valuation reflects the economic circumstances at each valuation date. The average Rateable Values of civil airports increase 295% reflects the different economic circumstances at each valuation date.

At the Budget, the Government published a Call for Evidence seeking further evidence on the role business rates and its reliefs play in investment. Through this Call for Evidence, the Government is considering options to provide greater predictability and stability in the business rates system for long-term, high-value investments. The Call for Evidence has recently closed, and a Government response will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Blue Badges are currently issued and valid, broken down by local authority.

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

As of March 2024, there were 2,837,000 valid Blue Badges in circulation across England. Information regarding breakdown by local authority can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/blue-badge-scheme-statistics-data-tables-dis.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder can in itself qualify a person for a concessionary bus pass under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme; and what guidance her Department issues to local authorities on eligibility for neurodivergent people whose autism substantially affects their ability to travel independently but who do not qualify for Personal Independence Payment.

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

The disabled eligibility criteria are set out in Section 146 of the Transport Act 2000. While autism is not included in this list, individuals with autism may be eligible for a concessionary bus pass if they meet certain criteria related to their condition or its functional impact.

The Department recognises that sometimes this can be hard to determine, especially for non-visible disabilities. To support local authorities in determining eligibility, the Department maintains guidance on assessing the eligibility of disabled applicants. This includes examples of where entitlement may be considered automatic based on receipt of state benefits and related documentary evidence, to help make the process more straightforward for both applicants and local authorities.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2026 to Question 100884, if he will publish the information provided in the five requests granted in full.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Hon. Member will be aware that, as also under successive administrations, the Cabinet Office does not routinely publish responses to FOI requests.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91457 on Written Questions: Government Responses, if he will publish his letter.

Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

It is a long-established precedent that internal government correspondence is not normally shared publicly.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2026 to Question 107774, if she will publish the specialist advice provided by the National Protective Security Authority and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office on Hostile Vehicle Mitigation.

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

Comprehensive advice and guidance relating to Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) is freely available online. It can be accessed via the ProtectUK platform (https://www.protectuk.police.uk/hostile-vehicle-mitigation-hvm) or via the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) website https://www.npsa.gov.uk/specialised-guidance/hostile-vehicle-mitigation-hvm

These pages provide information and guidance regarding vehicle borne threats, the wide range of HVM measures available, and provide detailed information regarding operational and technical considerations to reduce vulnerability from vehicle borne threats.

The NPSA website also provides signposting to a suite of HVM products and counter-measures and is kept up to date with best practice advice regarding their deployments and integration into wider protective security considerations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Prime Minister on the impact of floating bus stop designs on the ability of blind, disabled and older people to board and alight from buses independently.

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

Statutory guidance on the provision and design of floating bus stops was published on 26 January under section 31 of the Bus Services Act 2025, which was cleared across government in the usual way.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an Equality Impact Assessment was undertaken in relation to the guidance entitled Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design.

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

Ahead of publishing the guidance on floating bus stops, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, I had due regard to impacts on people with protected characteristics, particularly disabled people, in making decisions regarding the guidance. This was supported by engagement with organisations representing disabled people and input from the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, the statutory advisory body on disability transport issues, and a statutory consultee for this guidance under the Bus Services Act 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the annual cost to police forces of (a) administering roadside drug-impairment tests and (b) drug-driving testing; what steps she is taking to reduce the per-test cost of such testing for police forces; and what funding and support is available to police forces to help reduce drug-driving without reducing the number of tests carried out.

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

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy, launched in January 2026, includes a consultation on a range of motoring offences including the drink and drug driving testing framework. The government will continue to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to keep road users safe.

The Home Office has not made an assessment on the costs to police forces for administering roadside drug-impartment tests and drug driving testing.

Total funding to police forces in 2026-27 will be up to £18.4 billion, an increase of up to £796 million compared to the 2025-26 police funding settlement. It is for PCCs and Chief Constables to determine how to allocate this funding to best support operational requirements.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of changes to business rates for the Channel Tunnel from 2025-26 to 2026-27 as a consequence of the (i) business rate revaluation and (ii) surcharge on Rateable Values above £500,000; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of those changes on rail investment in Channel Tunnel services.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government cannot comment on the bills of individual ratepayers.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.

While rateable values have increased, the multipliers rates have decreased, meaning, from April, all ratepayers will face a lower multiplier than they do now, including those paying the high-value multiplier. The Government recognises that this does not necessarily mean a lower bill for everyone which is why, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation.

This support package includes a redesigned transitional relief scheme, which caps bill increases over the next 3 years. Compared to the 2023 transitional relief scheme, the redesigned scheme will provide more support for properties paying higher tax rates (such as the new high-value multiplier), including airports, hotels and key Industrial Strategy properties, who are facing large increases and are important for growth in the UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91460 on Airports: Business Rates, if she will publish the revised guidance alongside the draft rating list.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency's guidance will be published when the Rating List is compiled on 1 April 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 110085, (a) whether electric vehicle repair costs and their impact on insurance premiums form part of that work, (b) what analysis has been undertaken through that forum on the cost differential between EV and internal combustion vehicle repairs, and (c) if he will publish any minutes, reports or findings relating to EV repair costs.

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

The Motor Insurance Taskforce published its final report in December 2025. This report sets actions to strengthen the vehicle repair sector and references independent findings by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on the causes of increased premiums, including analysis of average repair costs for electric, hybrid, and petrol/diesel vehicles. The FCA found that increased claims costs were driven by factors including more complex and expensive cars, supply chain delays, and increased costs for replacement vehicles. The report is published and available here: https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/multi-firm-reviews/motor-insurance-claims-analysis.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91458 on Roads: Local Government, whether his Department holds that data.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The department collects data about local authorities’ expenditure and income relating to all services through the General Fund Revenue Outturn data collection. This includes data on traffic management and road safety but with the exception of congestion charging, this is not broken down into the requested categories. The information for the financial year 2024 to 2025 can be found within the RO2 tables on lines 51 to 58.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106607, if he will (a) publish the value of external consultancy and advisory contracts used by his Department in 2024-25 in relation to Net Zero, sustainability and decarbonisation policy and (b) list suppliers receiving more than £100,000.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department is committed to supporting Net Zero goals and advancing Clean Energy initiatives. In 2024, the UK signed a Government-to-Government Arrangement with the Dominican Republic to help deliver infrastructure projects that promote mutual economic growth. My department allocated £130,750 from the Infrastructure Partnership Programme Fund and awarded Mott MacDonald a 2024 contract to review the Dominican Republic’s state-owned energy company's, Empresa de Generación Hidroeléctrica Dominicana, national energy masterplan. This project provided recommendations to prioritise renewable energy projects aligned with national targets and opportunities for UK supply chain involvement.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 23 February 2026 on Update on disclosed documents for AC-2025-LON-003837, which official was responsible for the incorrect application of fuel efficiency measures within the Department’s Aviation Model; and what grade that official was.

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

The Department does not name individual members of staff. Such updates are always quality assured, which involves checks from various analysts who are not directly involved in the work. The Department’s quality assurance processes are fully aligned with the Government’s AQuA Book (the quality assurance guidance), but I have asked my officials to strengthen our practices further.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115446, in which month and year the updated Setting Local Speed Limits guidance will be published.

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

Work to update the Setting Local Speed Limits guidance is expected to commence shortly. No timetable has yet been set for the publication of the revised guidance.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of the Government estate is managed by the Government Property Agency; which departments, arm’s-length bodies or property portfolios lie within its direct management responsibilities; and what the Government Property Agency’s total expenditure was in 2024–25 on measuring, collecting, reporting or validating greenhouse gas emissions in respect of the parts of the estate for which it is responsible.

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

Fifty-three per cent (2023/24 53 per cent) of the central government office portfolio, covering c.1,100,000 sqm has been transferred to the Government Property Agency. The Agency provides portfolio services to the following Government departments:

• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

• Attorney General’s Office

• Cabinet Office

• Care Quality Commission

• Companies House

• Crown Commercial Service

• Crown Prosecution Service

• Department for Business & Trade

• Department for Education

• Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero

• Department for Culture Media and Sport

• Department of Health & Social Care

• Government Actuary’s Department

• Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Government

• Disclosure & Barring Services

• Northern Ireland Office

• The Insolvency Service

• Foreign & Commonwealth Office

• HM Land Registry

• HM Treasury

• Food Standards Agency

• Great British Nuclear

• Ministry of Justice

• National Savings & Investments

• Office of the Public Guardian

• OfQual

The GPA calculates greenhouse gas emissions for office space occupied by GPA staff and provides utility consumption data for departments occupying other buildings within its managed estate. As this activity is performed by staff as part of their wider duties, the exact amount of time allocated to this specific activity is not centrally recorded.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102835, under what conditions would a contract be terminated.

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

Where the generator is found to be non‑compliant with the conditions of public support, enforcement action is available, including the withholding of subsidy and contract termination. The Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference (LCD CfD) contains various rights of termination for the contract Counterparty (LCCC) in the event the Generator (Drax) breaches key obligations. This includes the ability to terminate the CfD in the event of repeated and material breaches of the sustainability requirements. For the full text setting out the LCD CfD Termination rights, see Termination - Part 12 (p.186) here: Low Carbon Dispatchable Contracts for Difference Terms and Conditions - Low Carbon Contracts. Any such action would be taken on the basis of evidence and in line with the relevant statutory and contractual frameworks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106742 on Military Aircraft: Ministers, whether the use of RAF CSAT aircraft includes use of military helicopters.

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

The hon. Member will recall that when this Government took office, we cancelled the VIP helicopter contract that had attracted so much criticism in previous years when used by the previous Government.

The current RAF Command Support Air Transport fleet consists of two RAF Envoy IV fixed wing aircraft. The fleet is used for the rapid and efficient transport of small numbers of high priority passengers or freight to deliver critical diplomatic engagement and/or military output. These aircraft offer a flexibility of response unachievable by other means and avoids the use of larger, more expensive, and less discreet aircraft. The Cabinet Office has responsibility for organising Ministerial helicopter transport. There are no military helicopters in the Command Support Air Transport fleet.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 108806, if she will make it her policy to provide such an estimate within the next three months; and if she will publish it.

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

The Department for Transport does not have plans to collect and publish this data.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 107159, whether the decision taken in March 2024 was made by Ministers; and what start date for construction was in place prior to that decision.

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

The decision taken in March 2024 to defer the start of construction on the A12 widening scheme was made by Ministers.

Prior to this decision, the publicly committed start date for construction was 2023/24 but a new start date was being planned.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 110088, how many staff in total have been recruited into DFT Operator Limited (DFTO) on a headcount basis since 1 January 2024; and what the net change in total headcount at DFTO has been in each quarter from January 2024 to the most recent quarter for which figures are available.

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

The table below sets out the number of employees recruited from January 2024 and the change to net employee headcount per quarter for DFT Operator Limited (DFTO). The increases in headcount are as a result of the progressive public ownership programme managed by DFTO. The increase in staff costs are being offset by the savings in fees that would otherwise be payable to the former private sector owners.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of wire rope safety barriers are installed on roads managed by National Highways; and in which years they were installed.

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

National Highways has approximately 143 miles of wire rope safety barrier on its network. For context, the total length of Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS) on National Highways’ network is approximately 6462 miles, of which wire rope safety barrier is one type. National Highways does not hold the data on when all wire rope safety barriers were installed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on formally assessing Eastern European and Asian countries as potential strategic partners for UK bus and coach manufacturing supply chains.

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

My officials work closely with Business and Trade officials, including through the work of the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106742 on Military Aircraft: Ministers, how many tasks there have been from RAF CSAT aircraft since July 2024.

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

It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and those accompanying them within the United Kingdom.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 66297 on Military Aircraft: Ministers, how many flights that includes.

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

The response to Question 66297 related to a total of 11 taskings.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

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

There are no re-tread tyres procured for Defra Group-operated heavy goods fleets.

Defra Group operates 33 heavy goods vehicles. Three of these vehicles are fitted with re-tread tyres; however, there are only eight re-tread tyres on these vehicles. These tyres are being phased out upon need of replacement.

The Defra Group has not procured any single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months.

The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115060, what examples her Department has identified of (a) decarbonisation of road maintenance operations and (b) preventative lower-carbon treatments referred to in Metric 9 of the Methodology used to calculate ratings for local road maintenance; and if she will publish the evidential basis for their inclusion in that metric.

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

Examples of activities relevant under this metric include the more efficient management of vehicle movements to both increase operational efficiency and cut carbon emissions. They also include the greater adoption of preventative road surface treatments, such as preservation, rejuvenation or surface dressing. These techniques keep roads in good condition for longer and prevent potholes, while also reducing carbon emissions and costs.

The Local Government Association published guidance for local highway authorities last year, which provides an overview of different road resurfacing techniques and sets out the benefits of preventative techniques in terms of higher value for money, reduced disruption to residents, and lower carbon emissions. The guidance is available online, at: https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/improving-highways-maintenance-productivity.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, a) What estimate her Department has made of i) the average retail price of vehicles eligible for the £3,750 Electric Car Grant, and ii) the proportion of new electric vehicles currently on sale that qualify for the full grant; b) what assessment she has made of regional variation in EV uptake rates since July 2024, and c) what estimate she has made of the average household income of grant recipients.

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

Preliminary data on vehicles ordered and delivered to customers since grant launch show that the median purchase price of a vehicle eligible for the £3,750 Electric Car Grant (ECG) banding before the grant is applied is £24,009.88.

Based on registration data for December 2025, 5% of new electric vehicles registered in that month received £3,750 through the ECG.

The Government is committed to continued EV uptake across the UK and is working closely with devolved and local governments to achieve this. Data on licenced ultra-low emission vehicles across regions since July 2024 is at this link:

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F696641a38d599f4c09e1fff7%2Fveh0132.ods&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

Household income is not assessed or recorded as part of grant eligibility for end customers.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has considered reinstating voltage optimisation technologies in the Energy Saving Materials framework.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DESNZ has not considered reinstating voltage optimisation technologies in the Energy Saving Materials framework due to limitations in the performance of the technology. Voltage optimisers work by reducing the voltage to close to the lower permitted limit of 216.2V. Devices such as electric fires and incandescent lamps lower their energy consumption at lower voltages but also work less well – being less effective at heating or lighting. Power controlled devices such as LED lighting, heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers do not lower their energy consumption, and for these, voltage optimisers are ineffective.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115442, what his evidential basis is that linking the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will minimise administrative burdens for operators and support economic growth and decarbonisation.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Linking the UK and EU emissions trading schemes is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including a cheaper path towards decarbonisation by providing businesses with access to a larger, more stable and liquid carbon market which will help support investment in low-carbon technologies.

Linking would also lower costs and lower barriers to trade for UK businesses by creating the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions.

Consultation responses from maritime stakeholders have largely supported alignment of requirements across the two schemes to reduce the administrative burden for operators participating in both schemes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has defined quantitative benchmarks for determining whether private sector delivery of public electric vehicle chargepoints is sufficient to meet the 2030 target.

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

An estimate of potential future demand for charge points was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: The National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 to a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030.

The Department has not defined quantitative benchmarks for the private sector, though we closely monitor electric vehicle charger rollout and publish public charger statistics monthly. Statistics include publicly and privately funded public chargers. We support uptake through targeted grants and funding and regularly engage with local authorities and the private sector on progress. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund requires local authorities to complete quarterly reporting of charger delivery.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026 to Question 71251 on Street Trading: Westminster Bridge, what discussions he has had with the (a) police and (b) local authority on ice cream vans parking on red lines on Westminster Bridge.

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

All vehicles operating within this zone are a matter for the police. They continue to monitor the situation and maintain contact with relevant partners.

In line with policy under successive administrations, security arrangements within the Government Secure Zone are not subject to detailed public disclosure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115048 on local road maintenance, what specific guidance was provided, and whether it included advice on the political composition of councils.

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

Advice was provided to ministers in line with standard procedures.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the projected market price per litre of conventional aviation turbine fuel (Jet A-1) in each year from 2025 to 2040 and (b) the marginal cost difference per litre between conventional aviation turbine fuel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel in each of those years.

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

The Royal Air Force in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence Directorate Analytics are able to provide an estimated cost of the price per litre of both Conventional Aviation Turbine and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in each year from 2025-2040, and the marginal cost difference between them. However, the data in the below table is subject to change dependent on market fluctuation of fuel costs.

The below forecasts are in United States Dollars (USD) per litre and will be subjected to currency conversion, which is changeable. Oil is generally bought and sold on the market in USD.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 113833, what consideration her Department has given to introducing a national standard definition of a pothole, including minimum size and safety thresholds.

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

The Well‑managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice, which is in the process of being updated, advises that local highway authorities should use a risk‑based approach when assessing and repairing defects. The Code does not define a national pothole size or threshold; instead, it recommends that each authority determine its own intervention criteria based on local circumstances, usage and risk. This reflects the fact that local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 (as amended) to maintain the highways network in their area.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, a) whether she has considered adopting a practical in-flight colour vision assessment model, such as the Aviation Operational Colour Vision Assessment used by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Australia, b) what assessment she has made of the potential benefits of introducing an operational colour vision assessment in the UK, and c) whether she plans to consult the Civil Aviation Authority on implementing a practical colour vision flight test.

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

Pilot colour vision testing is an issue that is considered by aviation authorities across the world. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is in discussion with national aviation authorities, including the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), about developments in this area including the use of operational assessments and determining their safety and effectiveness.

The CAA has worked with City University, London, to develop the colour assessment and diagnosis (CAD) test and this has allowed them to pass 35% of applicants with a colour vision deficiency, including some who failed the lantern tests used previously. An independent analysis reported that only the CAD test and anomaloscopes (when used correctly) have 100% sensitivity and specificity when assessing colour vision. While other aviation authorities, including the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), are starting to use operational assessments, this is as part of a wider suite of tests.

The CAA only accepts CAD testing for advanced colour vision testing, in the absence of evidence published in peer review literature regarding the effectiveness of operational assessments. CAD testing is easier to deploy than operational assessments and there is agreement among several aviation authorities that operational assessments need to be properly validated and compared with current methods for colour vision testing.

The CAA recognises that colour vision testing is an important matter for the pilot community and are committed to reviewing the safety evidence as it emerges. The priority remains to ensure that we are satisfied with the safety implications of any potential assessment solutions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, a) how many full or partial weekend closures affecting London Liverpool Street services have occurred since July 2024; b) what assessment she has made of the economic impact of weekend engineering works on commuters and businesses in eastern England; and c) what steps her Department is taking to improve network resilience during major engineering works.

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

It is very rare to close Liverpool Street on a weekend for longer than 27 hours and not on a Saturday. Network Rail will occasionally consider closing the full station on a Sunday as, with train operators, they can offer alternative travel options into London for passengers. However, there have been some full weekend closures of Liverpool Street station because of extensive eight-day engineering blocks undertaken over Christmas 2024 and 2025 to carry out major roof renovations at the station. Note that on these occasions, services terminated at Stratford, with connections into the Liverpool Street area available.

Network Rail analyses routes across the whole of the UK to minimise disruption to critical passenger and freight flows such as those to London Gateway and Felixstowe reducing the impact to a minimum as practically as possible.

Network Rail plans major engineering works to coincide with expected low overall passenger demand (for example, by not planning works on popular seaside routes in mid-Summer). Network Rail aims to maintain operational resilience, to minimise disruption, and to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of major engineering works, and timely completion of those works.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that UK producers are not disadvantaged by lower-standard imports.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As the Secretary of State set out at the NFU Conference, the first meeting of the new Farming and Food Partnership Board will take place in March. This represents a reset of the relationship between government and the farming and food sectors, and will develop sector plans, which target growth.

All agri-food products must comply with the UK’s sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. Products produced to different environmental and animal welfare standards can be placed on the UK market if they comply with these requirements. This has always been the case and includes products from the EU and other longstanding trading partners.

As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, this Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. The Government recognises concerns about methods of production which are not permitted in the UK. While production methods vary in line with different climates, diseases and other contextual reasons, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, this Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the Government’s disposal to protect the UK’s most sensitive sectors.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of imports of (a) maize, (b) oilseed rape, (c) ethanol and (d) wheat on UK farmers and domestic markets.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Imports supplement domestic production and ensure any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease do not affect the UK's overall security of food supply. The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market where the value of commodities is established by those in the supply chain.

For cereals crops produced domestically, including wheat, barley, oats, and oil seed, the UK has continuously been over 80% self-sufficient in domestic production for the past 20 years. In 2023, estimates indicate 76% of the crop-derived bioethanol for road transport originated from crops grown outside the UK. An estimated 24% originated from crops grown in the UK, which was mainly made up of bioethanol derived from UK-grown wheat.

From recent UK supply and demand estimates produced by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, data suggests a competitive demand for domestic feed grains has been offsetting maize imports.

Defra does not maintain any estimates of expected levels of imports over the coming years. The level of imports will vary from year to year depending on market needs and disruption to domestic production.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the level of import of (a) maize, (b) oilseed rape, (c) ethanol and (d) wheat in each of the next five years.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Imports supplement domestic production and ensure any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease do not affect the UK's overall security of food supply. The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market where the value of commodities is established by those in the supply chain.

For cereals crops produced domestically, including wheat, barley, oats, and oil seed, the UK has continuously been over 80% self-sufficient in domestic production for the past 20 years. In 2023, estimates indicate 76% of the crop-derived bioethanol for road transport originated from crops grown outside the UK. An estimated 24% originated from crops grown in the UK, which was mainly made up of bioethanol derived from UK-grown wheat.

From recent UK supply and demand estimates produced by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, data suggests a competitive demand for domestic feed grains has been offsetting maize imports.

Defra does not maintain any estimates of expected levels of imports over the coming years. The level of imports will vary from year to year depending on market needs and disruption to domestic production.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of voltage reduction technologies installed in homes on household energy bills.

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

The effect of voltage reduction on consumer bills varies between appliances. For appliances that are power controlled (including most electronics, LED lighting, EV chargers and heat pumps), lowering the voltage does not reduce energy consumption and reduce consumer bills. For appliances that are resistive (electric heaters, filament lights), the devices work less well at lower voltages and the effect on consumer bills depends on the consumer’s response to this reduction in performance (e.g. by switching on more heating or lighting).

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 114111, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of centrally collecting data on the procurement of retread and single-use imported tyres for heavy vehicle fleets for his Department and its arms length bodies; and if he will make it his policy to introduce arrangements to do so.

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

No such assessment has been made.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when NHS England’s investigation into guidance and training materials relating to marriage between close relatives began; which guidance, training modules and programmes are within scope of that investigation; and when he expects its findings to be concluded and published.

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

The internal review in response to recent concerns that National Health Service guidance stated the benefits of close relative marriage began on 19 January 2026. All public documents which constitute training modules, or guidance regarding marriage between close relatives is in scope. The findings will be concluded shortly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department provides guidance to blind and partially sighted people who are unable to cycle or drive.

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

The government is committed to improving transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity, including for blind and partially sighted people. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure public transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops and mandating more streamlined disability training for bus drivers and frontline staff. We are also requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publication of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan.

We are equally committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers on rail services and that is why we published the Department’s roadmap to an accessible railway. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established. The Railways Bill will also establish a Passenger Watchdog, protecting the rights of disabled passengers by monitoring service delivery, investigating persistent issues, and advocating for improvements. We are also continuing to install accessible routes at stations through our Access for All programme and have completed a programme to install platform edge safety tactiles on every platform in the country.

The government recognises that pavement parking is also an issue that resonates deeply with communities across the country. The impact is felt by many; particularly people living with sight-loss, mobility or sensory disabilities, older adults, parents with young children, and anyone who relies on safe, accessible pavements to move around independently.

We are taking forward a new, devolved approach to pavement parking, reflecting our commitment to decisions being made closer to the communities they affect. Local leaders understand their community best and are therefore in the strongest position to meet local needs effectively. The measures the government is taking forward support our commitment to improve transport users’ experience, ensuring that our roads and pavements are safe, reliable, and inclusive.

The Department also provides advice to taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England on the steps they can take to improve the accessibility of services. This recommends mandatory disability awareness training for drivers and sets out recommendations to make reporting of incidents of alleged discrimination straightforward, with authorities expected to investigate thoroughly and take effective action. It also recognises the specific challenges that visually impaired passengers may face when providing evidence of incidents and advises licensing authorities to accept appropriate audio or video evidence and, where relevant, seek information from operators and partner agencies. The guidance also encourages authorities to explore more accessible payment options, such as ‘talking’ meters or more accessible card readers.

Further, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, currently being considered by the House of Lords, seeks to provide a power for the Secretary of State to set in regulations requirements that must be met for any taxi or private hire vehicle licence to be issued and held.

The provision of accessible transport services, including for blind and partially sighted people, also requires a strong impetus from transport providers. We would expect transport authorities and operators to play their part in delivering this service – by communicating with their passengers, including about the accessibility measures they provide to encourage use.

To build on this, we are committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and create consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.

The Department also provides other support to allow blind and partially sighted passengers to travel including through the blue badge scheme and concessionary travel on public transport.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of cyclist injury collisions that occur (a) at and (b) in the vicinity of bus stops; and whether evidence supports the association of cyclist collisions with bus stop design.

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

There is no national estimate of cyclist injury collisions occurring at or near bus stops. National collision data does not routinely identify bus-stop locations, and non-fatal cycling injuries are significantly under-reported, making precise calculations difficult.

Cyclists face substantial injury risk when mixing with motor traffic. In 2024, there were 14,549 cyclist casualties on Great Britain’s roads (82 killed, 3,822 seriously injured), the overwhelming majority involving motor vehicles.

Active Travel England and the Department is undertaking further research, reporting in 2027, to strengthen the evidence base on the safety, accessibility and user experience relating to Floating Bus Stops.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111451, whether her Department has undertaken a comparative assessment of changes to aviation passenger taxes in other European countries, including recent reductions in such taxes in Sweden and Germany; and what assessment she has made of the impact on the competitiveness of UK airports of (a) recent increases in Air Passenger Duty and (b) increases in business rates affecting the aviation sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government is committed to the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK and recognises the benefits of the connectivity it creates between the UK and the rest of the world.

The Government is clear that APD is an appropriate tax that ensures airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, including with regards to the international context

The government introduced a transitional relief scheme to support all businesses, which airports will benefit from. We have also published a Call for Evidence exploring concerns airports have raised around the 'Receipts and Expenditure' valuation methodology and its impact on long-term investment.

To provide long term predictability and stability for the sector, the Government has published a Call for Evidence exploring concerns airports and a small number of other ratepayers have raised around the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ valuation methodology and its impacts on long-term, high value investments. Through this call for evidence, the government will seek to address issues raised ahead of the 2029 revaluation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 90730 on Ministers: Official Cars, if he will provide equivalent information for July 2024 to March 2025.

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

Invoicing data for the period in question is included below.

The figures provided represent total charges to departments, inclusive of all associated costs such as Transport for London (TfL) congestion charge, as well as travel and subsistence claims submitted by drivers in the delivery of the service.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85497 on Official Cars, what information his Department holds on the greenhouse gas emissions for the Government Car Service in 2024-25.

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

A consolidated record of total greenhouse gas emissions of the Government Car Service (GCS) fleet is not held centrally. These reporting arrangements are longstanding and have not changed since the previous administration.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the difference in colour vision medical standards between the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the (a) Irish Aviation Authority, (b) Federal Aviation Administration in the US, (c) Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Australia and (d) Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand; how many pilots have (i) been denied and (ii) lost an initial Class 1 medical certificate due solely to colour vision deficiency in the last five years; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of colour vision medical standards on pilot (A) recruitment and (B) retention.

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

The UK approach to pilot colour vision testing involves initial screening using Ishihara test plates. Where applicants make a single error, advanced colour vision testing using the Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) test is required to measure colour vision. The CAD test is one of the few tests designed around a colour dependent aviation task. Applicants with normal or mild impairment are assessed as fit, whilst those with significant colour vision impairment are assessed as unfit. In the absence of evidence published in peer review literature regarding the effectiveness of operational assessments, the CAA only accepts CAD testing for advanced colour vision testing.

We have no evidence to suggest that the UK CAA’s colour vison standards have a significant impact on pilot recruitment. Our aim is to foster a diverse and inclusive sector, while ensuring that the highest standards of aviation safety are maintained. Prospective pilots apply for the initial issuance of a Class 1 medical certificate prior to commencing/being accepted for training to become a commercial pilot. There are currently around 22,000 commercial pilots in the UK. Between 1 April 2021 and 31 January 2026, there were 6,930 initial Class 1 medical examinations in the UK. Only 18 applicants for a Class 1 certificate during this period (0.3% of total) were assessed as unfit solely due to colour vision impairment.

There should also be no impact on pilot retention, since following successful application for a Class 1 medical certificate, a certificate holder would only lose their certificate if they developed a significant condition that may also be associated with colour vision impairment such as macular degeneration with visual loss. Such conditions tend to occur much later in life.

While other regulators may take differing approaches, the UK approach is aligned with international norms. In the absence of peer reviewed evidence regarding the effectiveness of alternative approaches, the UK is engaging with the ICAO-led work referenced in my previous response.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106601, what the (a) operating revenue, (b) operating costs and (c) net cost of onboard catering were for TransPennine Express in each financial year between 1995–96 and 2024–25.

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

We are only able to provide data since the transfer into public ownership in May 2023. The data for 2023/24 (May onward) and 2024/25 are:

The difference in cost is explained by the fact that 2023/24 is a part year, and 2024/25 is a full year, with the one-off implementation costs of TransPennine Trains’ (TPT) ‘Coast to Coast’ catering set up in that year.

Catering is a service offer on most of the longer distance operators, including TPT, whose core business is leisure travel, and where journey lengths are often in excess of two hours. Revenue generated by First Class, in which catering is an important feature, is also an important part of TPT's business model. The revenue numbers do not include fares income generated by the availability of catering on board TPT services, which are captured within TPT's wider reporting on revenues by route.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pet microchip databases are authorised for use in England; what regulatory oversight she exercises over (i) pricing structures, (ii) subscription models and (iii) data access arrangements operated by microchip database providers; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the number of commercial microchip database operators on animal welfare and pet theft prevention; and whether she has considered establishing a statutory framework to require (a) interoperability and (b) a mandatory central lookup facility across approved databases.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since the introduction of compulsory dog microchipping in 2016, the number of compliant database operators has increased from four to 24. While this gives consumers more choice, it has made it harder for authorised users to access records quickly.

Defra is working with the Association of Microchip Database Operators (AMDO) to develop improvements to how the microchipping regime operates. AMDO is currently testing industry‑led solutions that will give authorised users digital access to database information through a single point of search.

Pet microchipping databases are operated by commercial providers and Defra does not regulate how much they charge for their services. However, all compliant database operators must ensure that they can redirect an online request for a microchip record to the database operator that holds the record. Defra monitors compliance with these requirements and will act where a database operator is failing to meet them.

Defra has not assessed the potential impact of the number of pet microchip databases on reunification times or enforcement under the Pet Abduction Act 2024.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce a Central Microchip Portal to enable authorised users, including (i) veterinary professionals, (ii) local authorities, (iii) animal wardens and (iv) police forces, to conduct secure cross-database microchip lookups; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the number of separate pet microchip databases on (a) reunification times for lost and stolen pets and (b) enforcement under the Pet Abduction Act 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since the introduction of compulsory dog microchipping in 2016, the number of compliant database operators has increased from four to 24. While this gives consumers more choice, it has made it harder for authorised users to access records quickly.

Defra is working with the Association of Microchip Database Operators (AMDO) to develop improvements to how the microchipping regime operates. AMDO is currently testing industry‑led solutions that will give authorised users digital access to database information through a single point of search.

Pet microchipping databases are operated by commercial providers and Defra does not regulate how much they charge for their services. However, all compliant database operators must ensure that they can redirect an online request for a microchip record to the database operator that holds the record. Defra monitors compliance with these requirements and will act where a database operator is failing to meet them.

Defra has not assessed the potential impact of the number of pet microchip databases on reunification times or enforcement under the Pet Abduction Act 2024.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered the effectiveness of household fuseboards in reducing fire risk.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 covers electrical safety in dwellings and is intended to protect people from fire or injury. In England, installation of new household circuits, addition or alteration of circuits in specified locations and replacement of a consumer unit or fuse board are notifiable electrical works and must comply with Building Regulations Part P. In existing buildings, fire risk assessments under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 require responsible persons to demonstrate how they are managing fire safety in their buildings, which may include risk arising from electrical equipment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115050, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the exit of Zipcar from parts of the UK on the car-sharing market; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that exit on the future viability of the car-sharing sector.

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

The Department wants sustainable transport options to be available to all. The Department is assessing the evidence base and considering how best to support the car sharing sector and ensure the right measures are in place to support car clubs and other shared vehicle services across the UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 115453 on Railways: Government Assistance, what the decrease in support is expected to be in each year of the spending review period.

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

The Department for Transport's support for the 14 contracted operators and Network Rail was £8.47 per journey in 2024/25. It is currently estimated that this will steadily decrease to just over £7 per journey in 2028/29. This means an average year on year reduction of 4.3%.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research her Department has commissioned and reviewed on emerging drug-driving testing technologies that are more cost-effective and provide faster processing than oral fluid tests; what steps she is taking to accelerate the adoption of such technologies by police forces; and what guidance and financial support she provides to ensure that police budgets do not limit the frequency of drug-driving testing.

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

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 local problems and demands. The police are operationally independent.

We will continue to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to keep road users safe.

Building on the success of the Roads Policing Review, the Department is developing a new Roads Policing Innovation Programme (RPIP), working with key partners in enforcement and compliance, including the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

Alongside the recently published Road Safety Strategy, which sets out wider government plans to improve road safety across enforcement, infrastructure, vehicle safety and post‑collision care, this work will help ensure that policing and enforcement activities continue to evolve in line with emerging evidence and priorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate in light of the February 2026 decision by the Government of Canada to repeal its EV sales mandate.

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

Government continues to monitor regulatory approaches to support the transition to zero emission vehicles in other countries. These vary depending on the economic, market, and geographic circumstances of each country.

The UK remains a leader in the ZEV transition, and the ZEV Mandate remains essential to meeting our objectives on air quality, energy security and industrial policy as well as delivering on our climate commitments. We will publish a review of the ZEV Mandate in early 2027, with preparations beginning this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2026 to Question 105751, how each of the measures cited as enabling the reduction in the rail passenger services subsidy has performed from the date each Train Operating Company entered public ownership to the most recent date for which data is available, including a) what quantified administrative efficiencies have been realised to date, expressed in cash terms and as a percentage of operating costs, b) what changes in operational performance have been recorded, including Public Performance Measure, cancellations, short-notice cancellations, and customer satisfaction scores; c) what passenger revenue growth has been achieved in cash and real terms; and d) what the net change in subsidy requirement has been for each publicly owned operator over that period.

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

Public ownership is not a silver bullet but a vital step towards rebuilding trust and pride in our railways. Due to seasonal variations, it will take time for the impact of public ownership to be fully reflected in performance trend data. Public ownership has, however, already contributed to a reduction in fees that would otherwise have been paid to private operators, and these reductions will continue as more operators are brought into public ownership. According to the ORR, in the period from July to September 2025, journey numbers were 8% higher and passenger revenue 6% more than in the same quarter in the previous year (when adjusted for inflation). The Department currently expects the rail passenger services subsidy in 2025/26 to be c£0.3bn lower than the £2.4bn in 2024/25.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many referrals to DVSA Driving Examiner roles have been made via Jobcentre Plus under the pilot scheme in each of the six priority locations; how many of those referrals have resulted in (i) attendance at a one day assessment centre and (ii) appointment to a role; what performance indicators have been set to assess the success of the pilot; and when the Department expects to decide whether to expand the scheme to additional locations.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are currently in the process of making referrals for these roles. Each location has the capacity to have 16 customers referred. Assessments will take place on 16 March (Slough & Southampton), 17 March (Tottenham & Bletchley) and 19 March (Bedford & Bromley).

Excise