Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the role of (a) drainage and (b) road foundations in the recurrence of potholes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances.
Although the Government does not monitor the frequency of potholes caused by suspected drain related instances, it does encourage authorities to maintain their drainage assets through guidance.
For example, the Pothole Guide (2019), commissioned by the Department for Transport and produced by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), set out that avoiding water penetration into the road surface is of paramount importance in preventing pothole formation, and that “keeping highway drainage systems working as effectively as possible is therefore a key area of maintenance activity.”
Further guidance on asset management for local highways authorities can be found in the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure. This states that “drainage assets should be maintained in good working order to reduce the threat and scale of flooding. Particular attention should be paid to locations known to be prone to problems, so that drainage systems operate close to their designed efficiency.”
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on co-ordination of the UK emissions trading scheme maritime expansion with the delivery of grid infrastructure needed for maritime decarbonisation.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK ETS Authority is made up of the UK Government and the devolved governments. Within the UK Government, my department, the Department for Transport and HM Treasury all work jointly to develop and implement the inclusion of maritime emissions in the UK ETS. This expansion will strengthen the scheme’s ability to deliver cost-effective emissions reductions, supporting the UK’s statutory carbon budgets and Net Zero target.
Investing in the grid is a key Government priority. The Government supports Ofgem in developing a price control that enable necessary investment in the electricity network for the clean energy and growth missions, including maritime transport electrification. The next distribution price control, ED3 covering 2028 to 2033, will be informed by Regional Energy Strategic Plans to support strategic network investments.
We understand the significance of getting sufficient grid capacity to electrify ports, for cruise and ferries to use shore power and policy options to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, such as critical port sites. This is informed by the Department for Transport’s call for evidence on Net Zero Ports, published in March 2025, which posed questions on managing future energy demand at ports.
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 9 December 2025 to Question 97165 and the Answer of 4 December 2025 to Question 93786 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, whether the DVLA provides registered keeper data to (a) Oxfordshire County council and (b) a third-party service provider to support the enforcement of the Oxford congestion charge.
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 (DVLA) to make information about UK vehicles and their registered keepers available for use by local authorities for a range of appropriate purposes. The DVLA has provided registered keeper data to Oxford County Council via its third-party service provider for the purpose of enforcing a congestion charge scheme.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many motorists have been wrongly fined for speeding in each year since 2021.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold data on the number of speeding fines incorrectly issued each year since 2021.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of heritage skills training to support employment and regeneration in rural and post-industrial areas.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 November 2025 to PQ 89153 regarding investment in skills to support technical routes and work-based learning in England, including heritage skills training. At Budget, the Government announced a package of £725 million additional investment to deliver the next phase of the Growth and Skills Levy in England.
The Government recognises the importance of skills training to supporting employment, including in rural and post-industrial areas. As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; and what proportion of overall working time are they permitted to spend on such network activity.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is transitioning its EDI Networks in line with the new Cabinet Office Guidance.
Currently in DWP we have 8 Departmental EDI Networks. Each Network has 2 co-chairs who receive 25% time allowance and up to 10 committee members who receive 10%. When all roles are occupied (which is not the case currently) this equates to 12FTE. As of November 2025 DWP has an FTE of 84,699, so this equates to around 0.01% of working time.
From April 2026, DWP will still have 8 Departmental EDI Networks. Each Network will have 2 co-chairs who receive 10% time allowance and up to 5 committee members who also receive 10%. EDI Community Network Chairs (of which we have 14) will also receive a 10% time allowance. If all roles are filled this will equate to 7FTE, a reduction of 5FTE.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the average time between a Child Maintenance Service complaint being received by the Independent Case Examiner and the issuing of a final decision.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of 31 October 2025, Child Maintenance Service (CMS) cases in investigation waited an average of 25 weeks from the date they were received by the Independent Case Examiner’s office to the date they were allocated to an Investigator. This is a significant improvement compared to January 2024, when CMS cases in investigation had waited an average of 66 weeks from receipt date to the date they were allocated to an Investigator. The Independent Case Examiner’s office continually seeks to improve this further.
In CMS cases cleared between 01/04/25 – 31/10/25, it took an average of 33 weeks from the date complaints were received into the Independent Case Examiners office to the date a decision was made and issued. The 33 weeks is made up of 25 weeks awaiting allocation to an Investigator and 8 weeks in investigation.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to the Answer to Question UIN 79041 on 20 October 2025, if he will provide an update on the Department’s investigation into the decline in road adoption rates across England; and when he expects the findings of that investigation to be published.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is currently investigating the decline in road adoption rates through an ongoing research project. This project seeks to develop a clearer understanding of the road adoption landscape in England and identify ways to improve the process to reverse the declining trend. We will aim to publish the findings of the project as soon as possible this year.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention and the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 November 2025, what progress has been made on possible reform to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for claims relating to Covid-19 vaccinations; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Budget on the affordability of proposals for change.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - 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: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention and the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 November 2025, what progress has been made on consulting with the Cabinet Office on increasing the limitation period for court claims relating to harm from Covid-19 vaccinations.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - 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.