Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the progress of the Transport Research and Innovation Board's 2023 Transport Digital Twin Vision and Roadmap to 2035.

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

The Transport Research and Innovation Board provides regular oversight on the progress against the Transport Digital Twin Vision and Roadmap to 2035, as part of regular operations for all its areas of activity.

DfT has met all key government-owned milestones in digital twins, including working with the National Digital Twin Programme, enabling funding to research organisations, and providing a clear vision for the strategic case and benefits for digital twins in transport and adjacent sectors.

A key milestone was to provide clear evidence and guidelines on the benefits of digital twins, and DfT has published its Economic Benefit Analysis (2024) showing that this emerging technology can enable better integration of traffic management and deliver £1.85bn of benefits to the UK over a decade.

Additionally, DfT is working with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to develop guidance on data interoperability and integration across transport.

The work is ongoing, and DfT committed in the recent Climate Adaptation Strategy for Transport (Dec 2025) to a long-term digital twin programme that aims to support network management, resilience planning and climate response.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what initiatives her Department supports that mitigate adverse effects of resource extraction on low-income countries.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK works with resource-rich developing countries to reduce potential negative impacts of resource extraction. Programming through the Jobs and Inclusive Growth Centre of Excellence supports the sustainable development of critical mineral resources across Asia, Africa, and South America including by co-developing sustainable production roadmaps, alongside research and policy advice. Our Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme promotes responsible mining practices that protect forests, conserve biodiversity, and respect the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

The UK's strong multilateral presence enables us to shape global standards, including through the G7 and Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. The UK's longstanding position is that all UK businesses should respect human rights and the environment throughout their supply chains in line with the OECD Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on using funds raised by the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to support maritime decarbonisation projects in Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy set out the key policies which will together deliver decarbonisation of the sector, including the role of energy efficiency, port decarbonisation and fuel regulation alongside emission pricing through the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. Receipts from the UK ETS are used to fund the government’s spending priorities, including spending and subsidies supporting the Net Zero transition.

In September 2025, the UK Government announced £448m R&D funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) between 2026 and 2030: the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime industry. The programme has already allocated £240m to the research and development of clean maritime solutions, with approximately 15% allocated in Scotland. Recently, I visited the Port of Aberdeen where new clean energy infrastructure has been installed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from berthed vessels, as part of its ambitious target to become a net zero harbour by 2040.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether funding from expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime will be used to support maritime decarbonisation.

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

Receipts from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) support the Government’s priorities, including spending that helps deliver the transition to net zero.

The Government recognises that decarbonising the maritime sector requires a suite of policies, and continues to provide funding, guidance and policy support to facilitate the uptake of cleaner technologies across the sector.

In September 2025, the Government announced a further £448m funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) research and development (R&D) programme between 2026 and 2030, representing the biggest government investment ever in the UK's commercial maritime industry.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress has been made on the development and publication of guidance on access to single-sex spaces for women; and when she expects this guidance to be published.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

I refer the Hon. Member to Lord Collins’s answer to Lord Rooker’s oral question in the House of Lords, dated 2 February 2026, which provides the information you requested:

“The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations provides guidance on all protected characteristics, not solely on sex and gender reassignment.

The EHRC has submitted its draft Code to Ministers, and we are reviewing it with the care it deserves. It is crucial that providers have legally robust guidance on how to apply the Equality Act, which is why we are considering the draft Code properly.”

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action her department is taking to support the use of digital twin technologies across the UK's transport system.

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

Since the publication in 2023 of Transport Research and Innovation Board’s Transport Digital Twin Vision and Roadmap to 2035, DfT has established a dedicated team to lead a digital twins programme, aligned with the Transport AI Action Plan (2025).

This has already enabled the development of a diverse research programme, including the £46m TransiT research hub to decarbonise transport through digital twins; and a £5m programme to improve crisis response and resilience. These are providing the new tools and skills to ensure UK leadership in this key emerging technology.

To enable business case development and improve adoption, in 2024 DfT published its Economic Benefits Analysis for Integrated Transport Digital Twins, quantifying the key benefits this technology can bring to the UK economy, estimated to £1.85bn over the next decade.

Finally, DfT has directly supported industry innovation by funding innovative digital twin projects through the Transport Research Innovation Grants and the Freight Innovation Fund, to improve rail maintenance, traffic flow, urban resilience, better EV charging infrastructure and port operations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his department has made of the findings of the Held in Our Hearts Impact Report on hospital-to-home bereavement support for families following the loss of a baby.

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

We recognise the importance of supporting the transition from the hospital to home for bereaved families, so that support is always available when families need it most.

Held in Our Hearts is a Scottish Charity supporting Health Boards in Scotland, and healthcare in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government. The Department has not made an assessment of the findings of the Held in Our Hearts Impact Report.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with industry on the number of flight instructors; and assessment she has made of the capacity of flight schools to train commercial airline pilots.

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

Ministers and officials engage regularly with industry and trade bodies (including the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) on all aviation skills issues.

As the UK aviation sector operates predominantly in the private sector, it is for individual airlines to recruit and train pilots to meet today’s demand and the demand of the future.

A major training organisation has now been approved to deliver the first officer apprenticeship, which would provide training completely cost-free to young people. We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Skills England to encourage airlines to deliver this apprenticeship.

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