theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many claims for hearing loss have there been in the (a) British Army and Army Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force and Air Force Volunteer Reserve (c) Royal Navy and Royal Navy Reserve, excluding the Royal Marines and (d) Royal Marines and Royal Marine Reserve for injuries sustained between March 2003 and the implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System program. \p Al Carns: The implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System programme took place between April 2015 and Sep 2016.

Between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2015 there were approximately 16,000 common law compensation claims for Noise-induced hearing loss from Defence personnel.

As this is based on historic data on legacy systems it is not possible to be more specific or break down the figure between Service and Civilian personnel. This does not include claims made via the Armed Forces Compensation and War Pension schemes as providing breakdowns would require information from three different data systems to be combined and individual files to be manually reviewed which would incur disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the (a) average, (b) maximum individual and (c) total cost of claims paid out for hearing loss, broken down by (i) army, (ii) air force, (iii) navy excluding Royal Marines and (iv) Royal Marines since the implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System in 2015. \p Al Carns: The implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System programme took place between April 2015 and September 2016. Since 1 October 2016, the cost of common law claims for noise-induced hearing loss claims was £250 million. This includes damages and claimant legal costs for claims from both Service and Civilian personnel. Further breakdown including by Service is not readily available. Most claims take a long time to settle and payments occur over a number of years. Calculation of an average payout over this period would incur disproportionate cost.

This does not include claims made via the Armed Forces Compensation and War Pension schemes as providing breakdowns would require information from three different data systems to be combined and individual files to be manually reviewed which would incur disproportionate cost.

The majority of hearing loss claims are historic, and allegations cover all noise exposures, from a variety of sources, over a long period of time, both in combat and training. Claimants will have used more than one type of hearing protection. It is not possible to identify if claims relate to the Tactical Hearing Protection System.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) average, (b) maximum and (c) total cost of claims was for hearing loss in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy, (iii) Royal Marines and (iv) Royal Air Force between March 2003 and the implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System in 2015. \p Al Carns: Between March 2003 and 1 April 2015 which was the start of the implementation of the Tactical Hearing Protection System programme the total cost of common law claims for noise-induced hearing loss claims was £110 million. This includes damages and claimant legal costs for claims from both Service and Civilian personnel. Further breakdown including by Service is not readily available. Most claims take a long time to settle and payments occur over a number of years. Calculation of an average payout over this period would incur disproportionate cost.

This does not include claims made via the Armed Forces Compensation and War Pension schemes as providing breakdowns would require information from three different data systems to be combined and individual files to be manually reviewed which would incur disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 36052 on Strategic Defence Review: Contracts, tabled on 6 March 2025 by the Rt hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford. \p Luke Pollard: I responded to the right hon. Member on 3 April 2025.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has met with Britten-Norman to discuss the Chinese Company Yitong UAV Systme Co's newly designed model based on the British Islander design. \p Sarah Jones: The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has not met with Britten-Norman.

Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published routinely on Gov.uk as part of the Government’s transparency agenda. The latest returns can be found here for Ministers: DBT: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, July to September 2024 - GOV.UK
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the UK car industry. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: We're disappointed by the decision to impose global tariffs of 25% on auto imports and know this will be extremely concerning for our automotive sector. We will always support our automotive industry, and in the first instance we will continue to pursue a deal that works for both us and the US. We will also use our Industrial Strategy to strengthen UK automotive competitiveness and have backed the auto sector with £2 billion to support the transition of domestic manufacturing and £300 million announced in the Budget to drive uptake of electric vehicles.

This government is clear that we will always do everything necessary to defend the UK's national interest. This is why the government has launched a request for input from businesses to help shape our response to US tariffs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support car manufacturers in the UK in the context of US tariffs. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: We're disappointed by the decision to impose global tariffs of 25% on auto imports and know this will be extremely concerning for our automotive sector. We will always support our automotive industry, and in the first instance we will continue to pursue a deal that works for both us and the US. We will also use our Industrial Strategy to strengthen UK automotive competitiveness and have backed the auto sector with £2 billion to support the transition of domestic manufacturing and £300 million announced in the Budget to drive uptake of electric vehicles.

This government is clear that we will always do everything necessary to defend the UK's national interest. This is why the government has launched a request for input from businesses to help shape our response to US tariffs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he is considering retaliatory tariffs in response to US tariffs on UK car imports. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The UK automotive sector is integral to our economy, and we are disappointed by the US decision to impose 25% tariffs on automotive imports and know this will be extremely concerning for the sector. We will always support our automotive industry

The government has launched a request for input from businesses to help inform our response to US tariffs

We remain committed to discussions with the US on a wider economic deal that works for both the UK and the US. But nothing is off the table; this government will do everything necessary to defend the UK’s national interest.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to answer Question 39709, tabled on 19 March 2025. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: A response was provided to question 39709 on 3rd April: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with National Trading Standards to tackle the sale of ghost number plates. \p Justin Madders: National Trading Standards (NTS) are working with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), local authorities and the police to address the supply and use of modified number plates.

The evidence gathered following a multi-agency investigation by the DVLA, the National Trading Standards Intelligence Team and police forces across the UK will be considered by the NTS National Tasking Group when evaluating potential future action to address this issue.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the accuracy of its compliance cost evaluations. \p Justin Madders: On 13 March, the Prime Minister announced that government will cut the costs of regulation to business by 25% by the end of this Parliament. First, we must fully understand these costs. To do this, we will establish a robust regulatory baseline by using data government already holds and working in partnership with business to understand their real-life experiences of complying with regulation.

Reducing these costs on businesses will allow them to flourish and to innovate, enabling economic growth.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has identified international trade compliance obligations for (a) simplification and (b) removal. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: This Government's central mission is economic growth, with trade being a core part of that Mission.  The Trade Strategy sets out a clear plan to maximise trade opportunities now and in the future. The Trade Strategy is grounded in the realities of the context in which we are operating and provides practical tools to support businesses to trade and drive growth both in the current context and in the future. It will primarily focus on the ways that trade is changing and how the UK can take a forward-facing approach to upcoming challenges.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to update guidance on the deployment of fixed speed cameras to allow their proactive use. \p Lilian Greenwood: Measures to address speeding will be considered for inclusion within the forthcoming road safety strategy.

The Department for Transport guidance on ‘Using speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: deployment, visibility and signing’ notes that while the primary objective for camera deployment is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries, cameras can also be beneficial where there is community concern. The authority can set its own criteria, depending on the local needs and priorities. There are no Department for Transport rules preventing traffic authorities from installing speed cameras.

The Departmental guidance is not mandatory, and non-compliance does not provide any mitigation of, or defence against, any alleged offence under UK law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with motorway service area operators on the renewal of leases of those areas. \p Lilian Greenwood: Government owns the freehold of 19 motorway service areas. The DfT is in discussions with the operators regarding the future of the leases, recognising that many of these expire from around 2030. The nature of these discussions means they are commercially confidential.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Demand responsive transport: local authority toolkit, published on 13 April 2022, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Demand Responsive Transport (a) as feeder services to existing rail and bus services and (b) in general. \p Simon Lightwood: The government believes demand responsive transport (DRT) has an important role to play in ensuring communities can access transport services in areas where more traditional, regular stopping services may not be viable.

The Department has funded 16 innovative DRT pilots through the Rural Mobility Fund. Each scheme is taking part in a detailed monitoring and evaluation process. This will provide a strong base of evidence and good practice for DRT and a better understanding of both the role it can play in rural areas and the challenges associated with introducing it. The final process evaluation will be published later in 2025, and an impact and value for money evaluation is just commencing, with findings available in late 2026.
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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on the appointment of a new Chair of Network Rail. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department plans to launch an open and fair recruitment to appoint a new permanent Chair of Network Rail and has appointed an Executive Search Agency to run the recruitment.
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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which body will have the directing role in confirming operational timetables exploiting released capacity. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department specifies the services it seeks to procure through its contracts with operators. Trains operate on very restricted infrastructure and timetables must be carefully planned to operate around other services. The scheduling service is conducted by Network Rail. Network Rail is held to account by the Office of Rail and Road.

The Railways Bill consultation proposes that in future Great British Railways will have consolidated accountability for planning the use of its rail network.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make train service options for the West Coast Main Line after introduction of HS2 services Old Oak Common to Birmingham available for discussion and consultation. \p Simon Lightwood: No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens. Train service options for HS2 and the broader West Coast Main Line will be made available in due course, and will be informed by consultation.
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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make train service options for the West Coast Main Line after introduction of HS2 services Old Oak Common to West Coast Main Line locations beyond the West Midlands available for discussion and consultation. \p Simon Lightwood: No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens. Train service options for HS2 and the broader West Coast Main Line will be made available in due course, and will be informed by consultation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to permit the earliest possible operation of some HS2 services into the Euston terminus, even on a temporary basis. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport is working with key partners to develop affordable, integrated plans for Euston Station, which will comprise the new HS2 station, an upgraded Network Rail station and enhancements to the London Underground station and local transport facilities along with a significant level of development. We will set out more details in due course.

In parallel, HS2 Ltd is progressing with preparations of the Euston Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) at Old Oak Common, with tunnelling scheduled to commence in 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether current (a) northbound and (b) southbound calling patterns will be (i) maintained and (ii) increased at (A) Tamworth, (B) Lichfield, (C) Nuneaton, (D) Rugby and (E) Milton Keynes stations following the commencement of HS2 services between London and (1) Liverpool and (2) Manchester via Handsacre. \p Simon Lightwood: No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens, including for the named stations on the West Coast Main Line. Detailed planning remains underway ahead of government decisions that will be made in due course, informed by consultation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the guidance entitled Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities in England, published on 17 November 2023, to include guidance on compliance with registration plate regulations. \p Simon Lightwood: It is an offence for any vehicle to display a vehicle registration number plate that does not comply with the relevant regulations. Work is ongoing to quantify the number of illegal plates that may be in circulation on our roads, which will include taxis and private hire vehicles. The evidence gathered will be considered when evaluating potential future action, such as amending the best practice guidance, that may be taken to address this issue.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Carla Denyer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the availability of (a) suitably skilled contractors and (b) materials to allow local authorities to meet the 31 March 2027 deadline for investing City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government recognises that investment in transport infrastructure is of critical importance to unlocking national growth and the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) programme has a key role to play in continuing to transform local transport across the country. DfT is working closely with Local Authorities and other Government departments on understanding and mitigating any potential barriers to delivery, including supply chain or capacity constraints, as part of our ongoing Spending Review discussions.
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Carla Denyer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for publishing finalised City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements 2. \p Simon Lightwood: Funding in future years is being considered as part of the current Spending Review, the outcome of which will be confirmed in due course.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve transport links between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. \p Simon Lightwood: Whilst transport is devolved, the Department for Transport is committed to enhancing links between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The Department is providing funding for Transport Scotland’s feasibility study to explore options to bypass the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75 and is supporting the Windsor Framework to streamline transport and customs processes. The Government is also supporting key aviation routes, including the Public Service Obligation between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow Airport.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many individual representations her Department has received from Staffordshire County Council on the (a) adequacy and (b) reliability of public transport in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (ii) North Staffordshire in each of the last five years. \p Simon Lightwood: Although we have had representations from Staffordshire County Council on a range of transport matters, we have not, over the last five years, received correspondence from Staffordshire County Council specifically on the adequacy or reliability of public transport in Newcastle-Under-Lyme or North Staffordshire.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure the resilience of critical transport infrastructure in the north of England. \p Simon Lightwood: The government is committed to ensuring the resilience of the transport network across the UK, including vital services in the North of England. We work closely with transport operators to prevent and respond to the range of risks the sector faces: and aid them in assessing their vulnerabilities and implementing contingency planning arrangements.

Transport related risks to resilience are kept under review, including through the internal, classified National Security Risk Assessment, and the external-facing version, the National Risk Register, to ensure that we effectively plan at the national and local levels. This includes risks around adverse weather conditions, security threats and accidents.

We are also conducting a Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) review to support our work, building our understanding of the CNI landscape and the wide variety of systems, dependencies and redundancies that keep it running. This work is strengthening our ability to plan against risks and threats and bolster our incident response capabilities, ensuring our Critical National Infrastructure is resilient and secure.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of funding research into the use of Diethyl Ether fuel. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department has no plans to fund research into the merits of Diethyl Ether fuel.

Renewable transport fuels that deliver significant greenhouse gas emissions savings relative to fossil fuel and meet stringent sustainability criteria are eligible for support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme. The RTFO has successfully promoted a market for renewable fuels used in road transport since 2008.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Using speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: deployment, visibility and signing, published on 31 January 2007, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the criteria for the placement of fixed speed cameras in reducing (a) speeding and (b) road accidents. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport has not made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the criteria for the placement of fixed speed cameras in reducing (a) speeding and (b) road collisions. While the speed camera guidance does include criteria for placement which the police and traffic authorities may consider using, it invites authorities to set their own criteria, depending on local needs and priorities.

The guidance notes that while the primary objective for camera deployment is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries, cameras can also be beneficial where there is community concern. The guidance is not mandatory; there are no Department for Transport rules preventing traffic authorities from installing speed cameras.

To note, my Department uses the terms 'collision' or 'crash' rather than 'accident'.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring drivers to display proof of (a) insurance and (b) MOT in vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: We have no plans to require drivers to display evidence of insurance in their vehicles, as it would only demonstrate insurance cover at one point in time, which may have since been cancelled. Uninsured driving is tackled by Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), which allows uninsured vehicles to be identified from a comparison of the DVLA’s vehicle register and the Motor Insurance Database of insurance policies managed by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). This and police enforcement on the road are the most effective tools to tackle uninsured driving.

Although the MOT status of a vehicle is not required to be physically displayed, it can easily be discovered for free by entering the vehicle registration at https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history. This service can be used by both the wider public and enforcement bodies. It will immediately show the due date for the vehicle’s next MOT as well as other relevant information, such as previous MOT certificates. In 2023, the Department for Transport and DVSA published a call for evidence asking for views on the future of the MOT and this was not identified as an issue. As such, we have no current plans to require the MOT status to be physically displayed on the vehicle.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the cross-Government motor insurance taskforce plans to next meet with the stakeholder panel of industry experts; and what the subjects for discussion will be. \p Lilian Greenwood: The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024 and the Secretary of State is keen to reconvene again soon. We will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.

The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector. This taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to reduce the number of car accidents among (a) recently-qualified and (b) young drivers. \p Lilian Greenwood: We recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads. As work progresses on the new road safety strategy, we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers.

My Department’s THINK! campaign aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in England and Wales, and is primarily focused on men aged 17-24. THINK! plays an important role in raising awareness of risky driving behaviours amongst young people. This has recently included campaigns on drink-driving and speeding on rural roads.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase local authorities' powers to ensure the immediate permanent reinstation of roads by utility companies near (a) high-traffic areas, (b) hospitals, (c) schools and (d) other critical locations. \p Lilian Greenwood: Utility companies can put temporary reinstatements in place following works to re-open roads to traffic whilst, for example, waiting for specialist materials which may be specified by local authorities such as a particular type of paving stone. Permanent reinstatements must be put in place within 6 months. The DfT has no plans to change these arrangements.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase local authorities' powers to inspect roads that have temporarily been reinstated by utility companies conducting roadworks more frequently. \p Lilian Greenwood: Local highway authorities already have powers to inspect both temporary and permanent reinstatements for compliance with the DfT's technical standards (the specification for the reinstatement of openings in the highway). Since 2023, a performance-based inspections regime has been in place which means those companies who fail inspections are inspected more than those who comply. As companies pay for inspections, there is also a strong financial incentive for them to meet standards.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) construction and (b) operation of a new National Grid electricity substation at Weston Marsh on levels of traffic in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: Roads in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency are the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council, as the Local Highway Authority and Local Traffic Authority.

This Department does not make an assessment of the impact of individual projects of this nature on the local road network.
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with (a) local authorities and (b) private companies that own electrical infrastructure that delivers public services on using existing (i) electric infrastructure and (ii) lamp posts to create additional EV charging points. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to expanding the electricity network to enable decarbonisation and is working closely with Ofgem and industry to mobilise the required investment. In the current distribution price control, Ofgem has allowed £22.2bn for upfront investment in low voltage networks, including £3.1bn for network upgrades to support low-carbon technologies, including infrastructure to support EV charging.

The Government regularly engages with the electricity network companies, which are responsible for maintaining and upgrading electrical infrastructure.

The Government also meets regularly with chargepoint operators and local authorities that plan and deliver on-street chargepoints. The £381m LEVI Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. This includes lamp post chargepoints.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 36099 on Housing: Parking, whether local authorities may recover costs of dropping a kerb greater than the actual cost of the (a) works and (b) administration. \p Lilian Greenwood: Section 184 of the Highways Act 1980 provides that local authorities may recover the expenses reasonably incurred by them in carrying out works to create a dropped kerb.

Local authorities are responsible for managing and maintaining the roads in their area and must themselves make any decision on dropped kerbs.
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Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that more than ten HS2 services can be accommodated at Euston station when required. \p Lilian Greenwood: The new HS2 Euston station will consist of 6 platforms, which can support up to 10 HS2 trains per hour. We are considering whether and how to future-proof the station with additional platforms, to accommodate any longer-term expansion.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_207

Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to renew the land purchase powers contained in the HS2 West Midlands to Crewe hybrid Bill before they expire in February 2026. \p Lilian Greenwood: I am aware of the limitations on land purchase powers contained in the High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Act 2021. This government is carefully reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure and I will set out detailed plans in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_208

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the emissions reductions required in transport to deliver the sixth carbon budget. \p Lilian Greenwood: As the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonising transport will play an important role in meeting economy-wide carbon budgets. Transport emissions reduced by 10% between 2019 to 2023, but emissions must fall faster to achieve our legal targets. The Government will deliver an updated delivery plan for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year, with policy detail for all sectors provided up to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_209

Clive Efford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to fine utility companies for inconvenience caused when their roadworks overrun. \p Lilian Greenwood: Utility companies are already incentivised to complete works on time with charges of up to £10,000 per day for works that overrun. We have announced that these charges will apply to weekends and bank holidays. We are also doubling fixed penalty notices for companies that breach permit conditions. These conditions can include setting days and times when works can take place.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_210

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of trends in the level of regional disparities in the number of public charging devices for electric vehicles by population. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle.

Chargepoint availability is increasing everywhere with public charging device numbers increasing by 45% in rural areas of England in 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_211

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce processing times for applications to the blue badge digital service. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Blue Badge Digital Service offers a national online application and badge management facility through GOV.UK. Nearly 90% of all badge applications are now made through this service.

The Department for Transport runs a programme of continuous improvement to the digital service to make online badge applications quicker and easier for applicants and local authorities, including undertaking specific research and testing to identify innovative improvements to the online application process. The service also undergoes regular accessibility and assurance testing to guarantee compliance with the Government’s digital standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_212

Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timeframe is for publishing a road safety strategy. \p Lilian Greenwood: This Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing the first road safety strategy in over a decade, and will set out more details in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_213

Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage public-private collaboration in the (a) investment and (b) delivery of welfare facilities for HGV drivers. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport (DfT) and industry are jointly investing up to £43.5 million to upgrade HGV parking and driver welfare facilities across England, including at independent truck stops and motorway service areas. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities, including Motorway Service Areas, along the strategic road network.

This investment is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve security, toilets, showers and refreshment facilities and increase lorry parking spaces.

DfT also established an industry-led Task and Finish Group (TGF) on HGV facilities, which commenced in February 2024. The TFG was a 12-month, industry-led forum focused on increasing capacity for safe and secure HGV parking, and driving industry adoption of existing HGV parking standards. DfT is considering the conclusions of this group.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_214

Harpreet Uppal:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Japan to respond to longstanding correspondence relating to the sinking of the SS Tilawa. \p Catherine West: The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa is a tragedy that has touched the lives of so many. Alongside the Prime Minister, I reiterate my heartfelt condolences to all the victims and families affected. On the 80th Anniversary of VEVJ Day this year, the UK will honour the lives lost in all conflicts, including those from the S.S. Tilawa on its important 83rd Anniversary. I cannot comment on the subject of correspondence to the Government of Japan regarding S.S. Tilawa, which is a private and reserved matter.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_215

Chris Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to help prevent the religious persecution of Christians in Bangladesh. \p Catherine West: The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief. In November 2024, I visited Bangladesh and discussed the importance of the protection of religious minorities, including Christians, with Chief Adviser Yunus.

The UK is providing up to £27 million under the Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme for protecting civic and political space, fostering collaboration, reducing corruption, and mitigating tensions that lead to violence. We support the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and their report on the violations that occurred last year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_216

Fabian Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on promoting education that fosters respect between different faiths and genders. \p Catherine West: The UK champions the right to freedom of religion or belief for all through our engagement in multilateral fora and our programme funding. We are committed to empowering women and girls around the world through our international work. The UK seeks to support quality, inclusive, and safe education systems that provide the knowledge and skills children need to thrive. Key to this is inclusive education which fosters respect between genders, which we support through several of our programmes and investments. For example, the UK's Education Quality Improvement Programme in Bangladesh (2021-2027) programme is enabling adolescent girls to stay in school by integrating gender-responsive approaches in national curricula and trialling innovative methods to support girls to remain and learn in schools.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_217

Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of cooperative models in strengthening economic resilience in developing countries. \p Catherine West: Cooperatives and producer organisations have an important role to play in enabling smallholder farmers and communities to access services and markets and raise productivity sustainably. The UK has supported cooperatives and other forms of collective action through the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) managed by the World Bank, which has a dedicated funding facility for producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which provides support to help producer organisations in Africa access markets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_218

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help prevent the deterioration of the situation in southern Lebanon. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK has made clear that all sides must maintain a cessation of hostilities and work towards securing a lasting peace.  That is the only way to ensure security and stability for the people living on either side of the border. The UK continues to engage Israel and Lebanon to urge them to build on the progress made and implement fully the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_219

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to apply further sanctions to assets associated with (a) the (i) owners and (ii) affiliated entities of Chelsea Football Club and (b) other Russian (A) people and (B) entities. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK has been clear that we need to keep the economic pressure on Russia to hinder its ability to wage war. The UK has sanctioned over 2,200 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime, over 2,000 of which were sanctioned since Putin's full-scale invasion. We will not comment or speculate on future designations as to do so could reduce their impact. We are determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as soon as possible and we are doing everything we can to bring that about quickly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-07)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-07 conversation_220

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his European counterparts to help tackle (a) intolerance and (b) other discrimination against Christians in Europe. \p Stephen Doughty: There is no space for religious intolerance in pluralistic, modern societies. We are championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding. We will continue to recognise the impact of the issue of Christian persecution globally, alongside the persecution of other individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. The Special Envoy for FoRB met with European and US counterparts in the margins of the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March. We actively participate in the Article 18 Alliance - bringing together 38 Member States, 26 of whom are European, to discuss actions our nations can take so that together we can promote respect for FoRB worldwide. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials attended the Article 18 Alliance and International Contact Group meetings in Geneva in March.