Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a national dyslexia strategy for schools in England; and what steps her Department is taking to support the sharing of best practice in identifying and supporting pupils with dyslexia across schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including dyslexia.
The department is consulting on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. To support the sharing of best practice, the department will appoint an independent expert panel to develop National Inclusion Standards that set out evidence-informed tools and strategies for educators to draw on to identify and support students with SEN. This comes alongside significant investment to bolster capacity and expertise with an investment of £1.8 billion so every community has access to 'Experts at Hand’.
In addition, the ‘Reading Ambition for All’ programme aims to improve reading outcomes for children that need additional support, including those with SEN. We are working with the British Dyslexia Association to refine the programme to further support children with dyslexia.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120278 on Electric Vehicles: Costs, whether she will publish the analysis underpinning the estimated monthly cost savings under the proposed Government’s proposed electric Vehicle Excise Duty.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In answer to Question 120278 the Government set out that analysis suggests that the average EV driver will pay around £20 a month under the Government’s eVED proposals once the new policy starts in 2028, roughly half the equivalent rate for a petrol car.
This is based on an average EV driving 8,000 miles per year subject to an eVED rate of three pence per mile. The average EV driver will therefore pay £240 - or £20 per month - in eVED, while an average petrol/diesel car driving the same distance will pay around £480 in fuel duty, or six pence per mile.
The Government has set out expected impacts from eVED and other Budget measures in the Budget 2025 Policy Costings document at GOV.UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692872fd2a37784b16ecf676/Budget_2025-Policy_Costings.pdf
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the current revenue to the Exchequer of VAT from pilot training; and what would the estimated net cost to the Exchequer be of removing VAT from pilot training.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC does not hold information on the VAT revenue from pilot training.
This is because businesses are not required to provide a breakdown by product or service on their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.
I refer the Honourable Member to my answer of 21 January 2026 (UIN 105280) stating that the Government has no plans to change policy in this area.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120036 on the Highway Code, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals were represented on the expert stakeholder group; and how many times that stakeholder group met during the drafting of Rule H1.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The expert stakeholder group convened by the previous government when it determined the new rule could be introduced included individuals from The Automobile Association (AA), British Horse Society (BHS), BRAKE, Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), Cycling UK, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), First Car – representing Younger Road Users, Institute for Transport Studies Leeds – Representing Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Living Streets, Phil Jones Associates, Road Safety Foundation – representing Older Road Users, TMS Consultancy – representing Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Transport for London (TfL), Transport Scotland and Welsh Government.
The expert stakeholder group met five times during the drafting of updates to the Highway Code to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including Rule H1.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the current shortage of train drivers, broken down by Department for Transport Operator area, in terms of a) total number of drivers required, and b) percentage shortfall against required establishment; and what steps her Department is taking to address these shortages in each area.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department works with DFT Operator to ensure all operators have the appropriate resource to deliver timetabled services robustly, including train drivers. All train operating companies have been asked to complete a 7-point traincrew resourcing proposal as part of their annual business plan. These plans cover staffing levels, recruitment, training, overtime and planning efficiency to improve reliability, including revising target establishment levels to support effective workforce planning. When we assessed train operating companies’ levels of driver resource in 2024 we found shortages and excessive reliance on rest day working.
The Department is also taking forward several measures to help the rail industry recruit new train drivers into the industry, including lowering the minimum age to be a train driver from 20 to 18 and working with Skills England and the rail industry to strengthen pathways for school leavers into train driving. This includes updating the Train Driving Level 3 Apprenticeship and developing a Rail Foundation Apprenticeship to be offered from the age of 16.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121409 on Parking: Private Sector, when did the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency last review the £2.50 fee charged for the release of vehicle keeper data; what the outcome of that review was; and when the next scheduled review of that fee will take place.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The £2.50 fee for the release of vehicle keeper data is currently being reviewed. If there are any changes made to the fee as a result of that review, these will be communicated at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) economic, (b) traffic and (c) community impacts of the proposed closure of M6 junction 38 during the Lune Gorge bridge replacement works.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways’ current traffic management proposals would keep Junction 38 of M6 partially open, apart from a limited number of full weekend and overnight closures. For the majority of the works, slip road closures would be phased, with traffic diverted via the M6 to the next junction and then back. While disruptive, they would be required to carry out the bridge replacement works safely. National Highways is still considering options proposed by stakeholders, including temporary slip roads at junction 38, and other traffic mitigations.
Traffic impacts on diversion routes are being assessed through live surveys with Westmorland and Furness Unitary Authority.
National Highways has undertaken over 60 engagement sessions since 2023 to understand the impact on the local community and businesses. As the project progresses towards construction in Spring 2027, the construction methodology and traffic management plans will be finalised. This work will determine what mitigation measures are both necessary and feasible to deliver the scheme safely.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the supply of coaches that are compliant with the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 for use in rail replacement services after the expiry of the current exemption on 31 July 2026.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 (AIR) require the provision of audible and visible route and location information on board most local bus and coach services in Great Britain. Local services subject to the Regulations must comply with them by October 2026, and we expect operators to ensure this happens on time.
The government understands and recognises the specific challenges to comply with AIR within the rail replacement sector. We continue to work with partners, including the Rail Delivery Group, DfT Operator Limited and bus and coach trade bodies, to assess the sector’s readiness for full compliance across the whole rail network, and to provide support to help them achieve this. This includes the development of new technological solutions for providing information on board coaches, funding for smaller operators, alongside the existing time-limited exemption from the technical requirements of AIR, which is due to end on 31 July 2026. The exemption was put in place to ensure that rail passengers could still complete their journeys whilst rail replacement operators equip their fleets to comply with the Regulations.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 121319 on Bus Services: Franchises, if she will provide a breakdown of the additional funding from 2026/27 by (a) funding stream, (b) annual allocation for each year of the Spending Review period and (c) by revenue and capital funding.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is providing two funding streams to support authorities who wish to franchise their bus services. The first is a £3 million Bus Franchising Support Fund in 2026/27 for Mayoral Strategic Authorities that have commenced the statutory franchising process, to support their transition to franchised bus services. The second is a fund of approximately £10 million per year until 2029 for a franchising support package for local authorities that are actively seeking to transition to a franchised network. Both funds provide revenue funding only.
South Yorkshire Combined Authority, North East Combined Authority, Transport for West Midlands, Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have each been allocated £500,000 of the £3 million fund. The Department is currently in the process of assessing expression of interest application forms from local authorities for the £10 million Franchise Support Fund.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations will be launched; and what her planned timetable is for its conclusion and response.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal Welfare strategy sets out Government priorities until 2030. Policies will be delivered throughout this time. Next steps on the consultation will be announced in due course.