Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the risks associated with hybrid vehicle battery fires following road traffic collisions; and whether she plans to commission guidance for manufacturers and emergency services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The safety of hybrid-electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review. Insurance industry analysis suggests that hybrid vehicles are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion engine vehicles. Nevertheless, existing regulations covering vehicle construction include requirements to safeguard against the novel risks and potential concerns associated with hybrid-electric vehicles, including fire.
In addition to the Department for Transport’s published guidance for road recovery operators, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs Council have produced guidance for their staff on dealing with hybrid and electric vehicles.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 99931, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of illegal number plates on national security, serious organised crime, terrorism and the effectiveness of ANPR systems.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Vehicle registration marks are essential for identifying vehicles involved in crime. Individuals engaged in serious and organised crime, terrorism and other high‑harm offending often rely on the UK’s road network to facilitate their criminal activities.
We work closely with policing partners, the DVLA and other agencies to understand and mitigate risks posed by illegal or obscured number plates. The Home Office supports efforts to prevent their use and to strengthen ANPR effectiveness through investment and enforcement activity. ANPR remains a valuable tool to help the police tackle crime and keep the road safe. We keep the effectiveness of ANPR use under regular review, to ensure it remains a robust tool for identifying vehicles of interest and those engaged in criminal activities.
Comprehensive advice and guidance is available via the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), which includes signposting to a suite of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) products and counter-measures. The specialist advice regarding HVM includes up-to-date technical resources and best practice advice regarding their deployment, and is available from these organisations.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the cost to the Insolvency Service was of Net Zero, sustainability or climate-related policies in 2024–25, including changes to operational practice, reporting and staff roles.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
During 2024–25, the costs associated with supporting the Government’s Net Zero, sustainability and climate related policies were £196,065.88. These were primarily related to staff time delivering mandatory disclosures and requirements including Greening Government Commitments and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. This figure comprises of staff salary costs and other costs associated with the online legal register, professional memberships and sustainability training. No direct expenditure was incurred on sustainability initiatives.
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 number of uninsured motorcycles on UK roads in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department does not hold this information.
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 16 January 2026 to Question 101850, if she will publish the British Transport Police’s crime-screening policy for pedal-cycle theft at railway stations.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The British Transport Police (BTP) Crime Screening Policy is an operational document owned by the BTP. Any decisions to publish the document are for BTP, as an operationally independent police service.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the kerbside airport drop-off charges were at each of the major UK airports in (a) July 2024 and (b) today; and whether her Department has issued guidance on airport drop-off charges.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The provision and charging of car parking at airports, including drop-off charges, is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. Government expects fees to be set in a way that is both fair and transparent for consumers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance will be issued to decision-makers on the application of paragraphs 4.7.34–4.7.35 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports, including how “acceptable levels” of residual transport impact will be defined; and whether these provisions represent a change in policy from the 2012 Ports National Policy Statement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are currently considering the views received from consultation on, and Parliamentary scrutiny of, the draft revised NPS for Ports, and will lay a final text in due course.
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 potential impact of up-front pilot training costs on (a) the pilot workforce, (b) diversity within the profession and (c) the long-term resilience of the aviation sector; and what steps she is taking to help tackle barriers to entry for trainees from lower- and middle-income backgrounds.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government works closely with industry to address financial barriers to pilot training and to support the growth of a diverse aviation workforce, including through the Aviation Industry Skills Board. This area is a priority not only for my Department, but also the Department for Business and Trade, the Department for Work and Pensions and Skills England.
A training organisation has been approved to deliver a first officer apprenticeship, which would provide training completely cost-free to young people. In addition, British Airways, Jet2.com, and TUI have periodically offered partly or fully funded training programmes.
My officials are working with the Department for Education and airlines to encourage them to deliver this apprenticeship.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to retain the Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for vintage motorcycles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2014 the Government at the time announced that it would introduce a rolling 40-year exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for historic vehicles, including motorcycles. This means that currently vehicles constructed before 1 January 1985 are exempt from paying VED. From 1 April 2026 vehicles constructed before 1 January 1986 will become exempt from VED.
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what internal data Network Rail collects on level crossings, including a) barrier activation and down-time duration, b) complaints or reports from road users relating to barrier down-time, and c) overruns caused by incidents, failures, or timetable disruption; and whether any such data is shared routinely with her Department.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail collects a range of data regarding level crossings on its network, which helps inform the management of risk at each location. If there are complaints or feedback from members of the public in relation to level crossings, Network Rail has processes in place to respond to these. However, as the safety and management of level crossings are the legal responsibility of Network Rail, this information is not routinely shared with my department.