Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timetable is for introducing legislation to end new onshore oil and gas licensing in England.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 1 October 2025 the Secretary of State confirmed plans to bring forward legislation to end new onshore oil and gas licensing in England. We will seek to introduce this when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Live Labs 2 programme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Live Labs 2 programme is supported by a built‑in monitoring and evaluation period that runs beyond the programme’s delivery phase, which is yet to conclude.
Initial results published by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) already demonstrate tangible progress, including East Riding’s award‑winning deployment of AI‑based video analytics to inform low‑carbon lighting strategies, and early findings from the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, which has secured national recognition for its innovations in low‑carbon materials and asset management.
The Department has recently confirmed the extension of the Live Labs 2 programme for an additional year. This extension is to support wider uptake of project findings across local highway authorities, particularly in relation to innovative, low-carbon maintenance methods.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the use of recycled plastic materials in road construction.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport continues to support innovation in the local highways sector by creating the conditions for the safe and evidence‑based adoption of new approaches, while leaving decisions on specific technologies to local highway authorities. This includes providing a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years.
In addition, through the £30 million Live Labs 2 programme, the Department is helping local authorities trial innovative approaches to road maintenance, including the use of recycled plastic materials in resurfacing. As part of this programme, North Lanarkshire Council has trialled a technology that replaces traditional oil-based polymers with recycled plastic, reducing carbon emissions from asphalt production by up to 20% while maintaining durability. Further information on this is available online, at: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/news/recycled-plastic-technology-used-uk-road-first-time.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to regulate how multi-academy trusts address concerns raised by parents of children whose school is joining a multi-academy trust.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Section 5 of the Academies Act 2010 requires maintained schools to consult appropriate persons on whether the school should convert to academy status before the conversion goes ahead. This does not apply to schools that are eligible for intervention.
In the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper, the department committed to consult on requiring school trusts to have local governance structures that together include all their schools, hold annual parental forums, and ensure boards hear directly from parents and school communities. The consultation will draw on the strongest sector practice in engaging parents and communities, to ensure that trust boards benefit from clear, consistent insight into the needs and priorities of the families they serve.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is provided on the use of non-animal methods to inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit who are responsible for assessing project licence applications.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
All Home Office Inspectors are specifically trained to assess licence applications rigorously and robustly and thereby assure compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) are providing training for all Inspectors which includes accessing 3Rs knowledge. Inspectors are also signposted to further resources, including Replacing Animal Research’s “Replacement Checklist”.
The responsibility of ensuring the principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) have been fully applied in applications belongs to the applicant. The role of the Home Office is to assure that the applicant has conducted the necessary activity to maximally apply each of the 3Rs.
Establishments which test on animals must establish an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). AWERBs have a statutory responsibility under ASPA to advise on the application of the 3Rs within establishments. Home Office guidance stipulates that all applications for a new project licence must be evaluated by the local AWERB.
The Government is committed to non-animal alternatives in science and has published a strategy which sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances. The strategy is available at:
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has any newly available (a) evidence or (b) modelling related to carriage studies and the potential impact of routinely offering Meningitis B vaccinations for people aged 13-25 on their health.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it a requirement of the National Lottery licence that there be (a) transparent and (b) open communication of the odds of winning the National Lottery when purchasing a ticket.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The National Lottery is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which is responsible for awarding the operating licence, managing licence conditions, enforcing compliance, and licensing individual games.
The National Lottery licence requires that full, accurate and up‑to‑date information about National Lottery games is easily accessible to all participants in a range of formats. The Regulatory Handbook, which provides further detail on complying with licence requirements, adds that this should include clear information on prize levels and the likelihood of winning, and that the operator’s approach should reflect industry Best Practice.
In practice, this is delivered through printed Player’s Guides in retail locations, and Online Game Procedures on the National Lottery website. These resources set out how each game works, the prizes available and the odds of winning.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps with key stakeholders to increase access to workplace electric charging points.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Workplace Charging Scheme enables businesses, charities, public sector organisations and small accommodation businesses to apply for up to 75% off the cost of buying and installing charge points, up to a maximum of £350 per socket. From 1 April 2026, the maximum grant rate per socket will increase to £500.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on (a) the rollout of the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund to local authorities and (b) increasing the number of electric charging points using the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Local EV Infrastructure Fund continues to make good progress. Nearly all grants under the LEVI Capital Fund have been issued to local authorities, with over half of eligible local authorities having launched tenders for private sector partners. The first projects have started installations, with many more expected during the course of this year.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) stakeholders to allow private renters to install a home electric charging point.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government continues to incentivise renters and landlords to install charging infrastructure through our domestic charge point grants. Additionally, all new build residential properties, including rentals and leasehold properties, have been required to install a charge point since June 2022.
We are considering what further policy interventions are suitable in supporting renters and leaseholders in the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). In October 2025, we announced that we will consult on improving renters and leaseholders' ability to charge. This consultation will consider how to make domestic EV charging for renters and leaseholders easier and more straightforward.