theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are on the waiting list for tinnitus treatment in Stockport constituency. \p Karin Smyth: The Department does not hold information on this particular condition. However, the latest published data on the waiting list for Ear, Nose and Throat, which includes those waiting for tinnitus treatment, stood at 4,492 in the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust as of May 2025. This represents a 2.8% reduction compared to the start of July 2024.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has set ICBs targets to promote CPR training in schools. \p Karin Smyth: No formal requirement for integrated care boards (ICBs) to promote or recommend cardiopulmonary resuscitation training or any associated targets has been set. The Department and NHS England welcome ICBs setting locally led targets as best practice for local services and commissioners to work to.
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Alison Hume:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS hospitals can access electronic versions of medical reference books. \p Karin Smyth: We are committed to enabling National Health Service hospitals to access high-quality electronic knowledge resources, including medical reference books, so that the right knowledge and evidence can be used to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.

The Knowledge for Healthcare 2021-26 strategic framework for NHS funded knowledge and library services in England was launched in January 2021 by Health Education England, now part of NHS England.

Individual NHS trusts should ensure that their staff have access to the resources they need to undertake their jobs, including where necessary electronic reference books.
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Kate Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the availability of ear wax removal services in community and primary care settings. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning ear wax removal services in line with the recommendations for ear wax removal as set out in guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations

Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the NICE, due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so general practitioners (GPs) will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.

However, in line with NICE guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

When ICBs exercise their functions, including commissioning healthcare services such as ear wax removal, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between people with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is due to end. \p Seema Malhotra: From 4 February 2025, individuals in the UK under a Ukraine visa scheme have been eligible to apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, granting an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK as well as access to work, benefits, healthcare, and education. The duration of permission is calculated from the date of application, meaning end dates will vary accordingly. Those granted permission in February 2025, for example, will have permission to stay in the UK until August 2026.

The Government recognises the importance of providing clarity and reassurance to Ukrainians living in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes and is aware that many individuals and families are seeking certainty about their future once their leave under the UPE schemes expires. As such, the Government is actively considering the future of the Ukraine visa schemes and will provide further clarity as soon as it is in a position to do so.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many electronic travel authorisations were issued to visitors traveling to Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic between January and June 2025. \p Seema Malhotra: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 June to Question UIN 59294.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who were born in the Irish Republic have applied for a UK passport through the naturalisation process between 2019 and 2024. \p Seema Malhotra: The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to include dental care professionals in the Temporary Shortage List. \p Seema Malhotra: On 12 May, the Government published its Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, and the first set of immigration rules giving effect to the policies in the White Paper was published on 1 July, including raising the skills threshold to RQF 6. At present dentists remain an eligible occupation as that occupation is skilled to RQF 6.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64923 on Asylum: Housing, on what basis can (a) her Department, (b) Serco and (c) local authorities not inform Members of Parliament when sites are used for asylum dispersal in their constituency. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the Hon Member to the Answer he received on 8 July 2025 to UIN 64923.
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Apsana Begum:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 June on Security, HCWS729, what guidance her Department has issued to police forces on (a) the implementation of the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025 and (b) how to interpret placards relating to (i) Gaza and (ii) Israel's actions in Gaza that do not refer to Palestine Action. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Police are operationally independent of government and have significant experience in policing protests and ensuring proscription orders are implemented fairly and in line with legislation.

The Home Office maintains regular contact with Policing to ensure that there is appropriate oversight as the Police carry out their statutory duties
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of foreign national offenders who have cited Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights as a reason not to be removed since 2019, broken down by (a) year, (b) nationality and (c) offence committed. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and could only be obtained for the purpose of answering this question through a manual search of case files, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Work is underway to improve the quality of information held by the department on foreign national offenders (FNOs). Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the Automatic Number Plate Recognition network is able to identify (a) false and (b) cloned number plates. \p Dame Diana Johnson: ANPR is a valuable tool to help the police tackle crime and keep the road safe. We keep the effectiveness of police and law enforcement use of ANPR under regular review, to ensure it remains a robust tool for identifying vehicles of interest to the police and drivers who break the law.

Non-compliant and mis-represented plates are a significant concern to policing and law enforcement agencies. The DVLA and the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) are working closely with Trading Standards, local authorities and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

The law requires anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK to be registered with the DVLA and for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the number plates they have supplied. Those found to have committed number plate offences can be prosecuted by the police.

I met the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) lead on ANPR in April to discuss the challenges associated with cloned licence plates and the potential role for ANPR in helping to tackle them.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of decreased funding on the provision of specialist domestic violence services; what steps she is taking to prevent further harm to victims. \p Jess Phillips: Specialist and ‘by and for’ services are essential for providing the tailored support that victims and survivors of domestic abuse need. Access to support services can prevent re-victimisation, and help victims to access support, escape abuse, and move forward with their lives.

That is why we uplifted the National VAWG Helplines, including ‘by and for’ helpline providers, by over £1.5m in 2024/25, and we are now providing a further uplift of over £1m, bringing the total investment to over £6m in 2025/26. We also uplifted the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme by £398k in 2024/25, and we are now providing a further uplift of £600k to bring the total investment up to £2.4m for 2025/26.

The is part of a wider £19.9 million investment into 2025/26, which also includes £2.5m to help prevent and improve the response to VAWG. This includes increasing the understanding and identification of VAWG, work to prevent ‘honour’ based abuse and improving multi-agency working and risk management.
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings Ministers in her Department have had with their counterparts in (a) Albania, (b) Poland, (c) Romania, (d) Jamaica, (e) Lithuania, (f) Bulgaria and (g) Vietnam on the removal of foreign national offenders since July 2024. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government is committed to the removal of foreign criminals and those with no right to be in the UK. We have strong returns cooperation with countries across the globe and continuing to build on this cooperation is at the heart of our diplomatic engagement.

From 5 July 2024 to 4 July 2025, the Government has ensured the removal of 5,179 foreign national offenders, 14 percent more than the same period twelve months before, and almost a third up on the total for 2023, when the Rt Hon Gentleman was the minister responsible.
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Steve Barclay:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33002 on Asylum: Finance, how many top-up payments have been made to Asylum Support Enablement Cards since 4 July 2024, broken down by week. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the Hon Member to the Answer he received on 3 March 2025 to UIN 33002.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will have discussions with Greater Manchester Police on the potential impact of not supplying naloxone to frontline officers on levels of drug-related deaths. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Naloxone is an important lifesaving medicine to respond to suspected opioid overdoses, when used alongside other first aid measures, and is mitigating the threat posed by synthetic opioids.

Work has been ongoing for several years led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office to support police carriage of this medicine, leveraging officers’ frequent interactions with individuals at risk of overdose to reduce drug-related deaths. In September 2024 and May 2025, I wrote to Chief Constables in England and Wales to reiterate my support for all police forces to roll-out the voluntary provision of naloxone to operational officers.

The Home Office and NPCC recently published data showing that, as of December 2024, approximately 7,300 police officers in England and Wales regularly carry naloxone. The medicine had been administered over 550 times by police since June 2019, and only two out of 43 police forces had no plans to carry. One of those forces is Greater Manchester Police.

Whilst the provision of naloxone for police officers remains voluntary and is an operational decision for Chief Constables, the Government is strongly supportive of forces making this highly effective antidote available.

The NPCC and the Home Office are in ongoing dialogue with all police forces on this topic.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much their Department has spent on translating documents into languages other than (a) English and (b) other native UK languages in each year since 2023; and what these languages were. \p Seema Malhotra: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has met with (a) Dominic Grieve and (b) the members of the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia to discuss the working group and the definition of Islamophobia. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The work he refers to is being overseen by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
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Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62530 on Borders: Personal Records, whether she has made an assessment of the potential difference between the figure (a) provided by transport companies and (b) of people actually exiting the country. \p Seema Malhotra: The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under review, including the role of the e-visa system in improving checks on when individuals leave the country.
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Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing specific (a) Sikh and (b) Jewish options for a person’s ethnic group in data collection conducted by her Department. \p Seema Malhotra: The Home Office collects ethnicity data in line with the ethnicity harmonised standard, which is developed by the independent Office for National Statistics.

The current harmonised standard is based on the 2011 Census questions used across the UK; those questions were updated for the 2021 and 2022 Censuses. The current standard does not include specific “Sikh” and “Jewish” categories for a person’s ethnic group.

The ONS is reviewing the harmonised standard to ensure this remains appropriate and meets the needs of both data users and respondents. This will include a public consultation later this year.

We await the outcome of this review.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of excluding dental therapists from the skilled worker visa scheme on NHS dentistry provision. \p Seema Malhotra: On 12 May, we published our Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. The first set of immigration rules giving effect to the policies in the White Paper was published on 1 July, including raising the skills threshold to RQF 6 and we will publish an impact assessment of this change in due course.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of transferring responsibility for the licensing of animal testing to the (a) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and (b) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. \p Dan Jarvis: It is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office to consider the benefits of any changes to the allocation of responsibilities between different government departments.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase sentences for sexual predators. \p Jess Phillips: Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors.

Courts are assisted in setting a sentence by sentencing guidelines which are issued by the Sentencing Council, and which the courts must follow unless it is not in the interests of justice to do so. The Government continues to keep maximum penalties under review to ensure they reflect the seriousness of offending behaviour.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are legislating to make grooming a statutory aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to approve the Ely Area Capacity Enhancements scheme. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Secretary of State updated Parliament on the 7th of July regarding which rail and road infrastructure projects will progress following the completion of the 2025 Spending Review. The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) was not among those projects funded at this time.

We are focused on prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and freight and support economic growth as quickly as possible. The previous government had committed to a number of infrastructure projects that were unfunded, this includes the EACE scheme.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the benefit-cost ratio of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancements scheme. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Secretary of State updated Parliament on the 7th of July regarding which rail and road infrastructure projects will progress following the completion of the 2025 Spending Review. The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) was not among those projects funded at this time.

We are focused on prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and support economic growth as quickly as possible. The previous government had committed to a number of infrastructure projects that were unfunded, this includes the EACE scheme.
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of the availability of glaucoma testing for driving license renewal in (a) North Norfolk constituency, (b) Norfolk and (c) England. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not require driving licence holders or applicants to be tested for glaucoma. However, drivers are legally required to inform the DVLA if they have been diagnosed with glaucoma in both eyes, or if they have been advised by their optician or optometrist that they do not meet the eyesight standards for driving.

When the DVLA is notified of a glaucoma diagnosis, the driver will be referred for a visual field test. The results of this test will be used to determine whether the individual concerned meets the required eyesight standards for driving.
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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 65477 on Railways: Capital Investment, if she will publish each iteration of that graph during the fourth quarter of 2022. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport 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.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce noise cameras. \p Lilian Greenwood: Further to my response to PQ66815, the Department does not currently have plans to introduce noise cameras but is keeping up to date with any advancements in this technology. It is ultimately for local authorities and the police to consider what the most appropriate enforcement routes may be for addressing issues with excessive vehicle noise within their area.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question UIN 66153 on Housing: Construction, if she will publish (a) the evidence, (b) criteria and (c) methodology used to assess the A12 widening scheme; and the scoring outcome of the A12 widening scheme against that criteria. \p Lilian Greenwood: As set out in the answer of 14 July 2025 to Question UIN 66153, this Government inherited a series of commitments that could not be afforded and the decision not to progress the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) Widening Scheme was based on evidence assessed against a wide range of criteria including housing growth impacts and in line with the HM Treasury Green Book and the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance.

As examples of evidence, the Rt Hon Member for Witham has advocated for the A12 Widening Scheme in the House and in correspondence over many years and detailed information about the Scheme was published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website, available here: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/TR010060.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to cancel the A12 Widening Scheme on (a) business investment, (b) job creation, (c) economic growth, (d) apprenticeship creation and (e) the construction supply chain. \p Lilian Greenwood: As announced on 8 July 2025, this Government inherited a series of commitments that could not be afforded, therefore the Secretary of State for Transport had to take the difficult decision not to progress the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) Widening Scheme. The decision was based on evidence assessed against a wide range of criteria, including economic growth impacts, and in line with the HM Treasury Green Book and the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance.

Detailed information on the economic impact of the A12 Widening Scheme was set out in the application for planning consent published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

Information on the economic appraisal is available here: https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/published-documents/TR010060-000378-HE551497-JAC-LDC-SCHW-RP-TR-0109.pdf.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding for maintenance of the A12 will be made available in the (a) current and (b) next five financial years; and what proportion of that funding will be allocated for maintenance between junctions 19 and 25. \p Lilian Greenwood: In total, over £5.6 million has been earmarked for improving various aspects of the A12 in the current financial year (2025/26) and about 7% of this is designated for works around junctions 19 to 25.

It is too early to set out what funding for maintenance of the A12 will be earmarked in the next five financial years (2026/27-2030/31). Over this period, National Highways will maintain a proactive approach to monitoring the condition and performance of the A12. Key activities will include weekly safety inspections to ensure the immediate safety of the network, annual visual condition inspections and machine-based surveys which will assist with identifying asset renewal needs. These activities form part of National Highways’ ongoing asset management strategy to ensure the A12 continues to meet performance standards and remains fit for purpose throughout the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) period.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department plans to allocate to Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council for fixing potholes in each of the next three financial years. \p Lilian Greenwood: The West Midlands Combined Authority, of which Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council is a constituent authority, is in receipt of £1.05bn of devolved City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) funding for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27, and has been allocated £2.4bn of Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding for the period up until 2031/32. These funding settlements are for investment in the West Midlands’ local transport network and consolidate local highways maintenance funding. It is for the Combined Authority to determine how this funding is allocated across the city region in line with local priorities.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time was for a driving test at Bristol Kingswood centre on 1 June 2025. \p Lilian Greenwood: The average waiting time in weeks for a car practical driving test at Bristol Kingswood driving test centre, for June 2025, was 21.6 weeks.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of abuse at work on the mental health of roadworkers. \p Lilian Greenwood: The physical and verbal abuse of roadworkers at work by members of the public is not acceptable. The Department takes this issue seriously and recognises the potential impact such abuse has on the mental health of roadworkers.

The Department supports the work Stamp it Out, National Highways and others in the sector are doing to tackle this important issue. We are committed to ensuring that roadworkers feel safe and supported as they carry out their essential work.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of roadworkers who have been spat at from passing drivers in the last five years. \p Lilian Greenwood: While the Department for Transport does not hold specific data on the types, trends and impacts of roadworker abuse, we work closely with the Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC) UK, the representative body for the industry, who provide a mechanism for reporting roadworker abuse through the HAUC App. Abuse to roadworkers can also be reported to the local Highway Authority or in more serious cases where there is an immediate danger or a crime is taking place, the police. In 2023, GeoPlace worked with HAUC UK to gather data and publish the “Road Worker Abuse Report” on the prevalence, nature and impact of road worker abuse across the England, Scotland and Wales. The report highlighted some of the abuse that roadworkers had been subjected to, such as spitting, projectiles being thrown and punching. The Government strongly condemns any abuse directed at roadworkers, who play a vital role in installing and maintaining the infrastructure we rely on daily. We remain committed to working with HAUC UK, local authorities, the police, and campaign groups to tackle this issue and ensure roadworkers can carry out their duties safely and with respect.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Highways England on the potential impact of abuse of roadworkers on levels of retention of roadworkers. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department is concerned about the increasing reports of abuse and intimidation faced by roadworkers and recognises the potential impact this has on both recruitment and retention in the sector.

National Highways also takes this issue seriously and works closely with its delivery partners to ensure all incidents of abuse on the Strategic Road Network are reported. It also supports the Stamp it Out campaign, which aims to eliminate abuse across transport networks, and contributed to the development of Stamp it Out’s recent guidance on road network crimes and the types of evidence required to prosecute them.

The Department will continue to support work to address this unacceptable behaviour and ensure roadworkers feel safe and supported in their roles.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the waiting time for driving tests at the Bristol (Kingswood) centre. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.

Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.

On 15 July, DVSA launched a new recruitment campaign for the Bristol area. DVSA is looking to recruit two additional driving examiners (DE) at Kingwood, up to 10 additional DEs in Avonmouth and two additional DEs in Weston-Super-Mare.

Further vacancies in other sites in the surrounding area such as Taunton and Chippenham, will also be advertised in DVSA’s following recruitment campaigns shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_225

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) provides equipment that enables staff to work across multiple locations, including from home where appropriate. This includes meeting legal obligations to provide reasonable workplace adjustments for staff who require them.

However, the DVSA does not record expenditure in a way that separately identifies costs specifically related to home working. Additionally, the Department for Transport’s hybrid working policy is non-contractual and does not entitle staff to additional equipment or to be reimbursed for items to facilitate home working.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_226

Fabian Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce legislative proposals to extend the ban on pavement parking outside of London. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department held a consultation on pavement parking in 2020 and has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the possible legislative opportunities for delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_227

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security has met the Climate Change Committee since July 2024. \p Mike Kane: The Minister attended the Jet Zero Taskforce Plenary in December 2024, which was attended by the CCC’s CEO, Emma Pinchbeck, and where the government’s approach to aviation decarbonisation was discussed. The minutes from that meeting can be found here: Jet Zero Taskforce – 2024 Annual Plenary 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Wednesday 4 December 2024. The Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security has not had a bilateral meeting with the Climate Change Committee (CCC) since July 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_228

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to develop a long-term strategy for regional air connectivity that (a) reduces reliance on (i) Gatwick Airport (ii) Heathrow Airport and (iii) other major hubs and (b) supports the growth of (1) Cornwall Airport Newquay and (2) other regional airports. \p Mike Kane: The Department recognises how vital aviation is to maintaining connectivity between the regions of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to the wider world. Ministers and officials at the Department meet regularly with regional airports, including Cornwall Newquay Airport, to discuss issues such as regional air connectivity.

Government supports connectivity across the union through our joint-funding of three Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes into London from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry.

The Government keeps PSO policy under review. This includes recommendations made through the Union Connectivity Review published in November 2021.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_229

Mr Paul Kohler:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help (a) prevent and (b) disrupt modern slavery. \p Mike Kane: The DfT works collaboratively with delivery bodies to tackle modern slavery in supply chains. A DfT modern slavery working group has been in place since 2020, to help embed modern slavery commercial policies, including Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and share best practice.

DfT has invited a number of suppliers to complete the Modern Slavery Assessment Tool (MSAT), including its strategic suppliers.  This seeks assurances from our suppliers on the policies and procedures they have in place to help protect their workforce.

The Commercial Function within DfT continues to raise awareness and build knowledge of modern slavery, through training opportunities and events.  The Group Commercial Director is the DfT Anti-Slavery Advocate and is committed to developing and promoting policies and programmes to address modern slavery in commercial activity.

DfT also continues to highlight the importance of this work with its suppliers, using events as a platform to remind suppliers of the government’s commitment to mitigate modern slavery in supply chains, examples of this are through supply chain management meetings and supplier engagement opportunities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

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Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to secure capital investment in sustainable aviation fuel. \p Mike Kane: We are supporting investments in UK sustainable aviation fuel “SAF” production facilities through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF). We extended this funding for a further year through the Autumn Budget, investing an additional £63 million, and the Spending Review 2025 will continue support for SAF production in the UK to 2029/30.

In addition to providing grant funding under the AFF our SAF Bill, currently before the House, will deliver a SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism. This mechanism will help unlock investment in UK SAF production and grow this emerging sector.

We are also encouraging the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels in the UK through a SAF Mandate. The mandate, one of the first pioneering policies of its kind, came into force on 1st January 2025 and increases investor certainty by building domestic demand for SAF.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

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Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to instruct the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct an investigation into the safety of Boeing aircraft models that are in service in the UK. \p Mike Kane: No. The UK Civil Aviation Authority, as the UK’s aviation safety regulator, are responsible for regulatory oversight of UK airlines and operations. It is for them to assess whether further action is required within the UK. At this time they have ruled out the need for further checks in the UK.

In regard to the recent accident involving Air India flight AI171, currently, we are not aware of any evidence regarding this incident to suggest there is an unsafe condition with any commercial Boeing aircraft types. The preliminary report of this accident ruled out the need for wider action against this aircraft type, engine or manufacturer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase capacity on the West Coast Main Line southern section, in the context of the decision by the Office of Rail and Road to reject the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway. \p Simon Lightwood: The delivery of HS2 will almost double long-distance rail capacity between London and the West Midlands, significantly improving the heavily congested southern section of the West Coast Main Line and releasing capacity for other services on that section of the line. Unfortunately, following significant cost increases and delays as a result of poor management, HS2 will not be delivered by 2033 as was previously planned; the government has taken urgent action to bring the project under control and tasked new HS2 Ltd CEO with undertaking a comprehensive reset of the programme, which will include setting updated cost and delivery schedule estimates.

In the meantime, the West Coast Main Line will continue to be capacity constrained making it virtually impossible for additional train services to reliably come into operation, which is the primary reason why the Office of Rail and Road declined the Wrexham, Shropshire, and Midlands Railway’s application.

While the government will not reverse the previous government’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2, we acknowledge concerns about future capacity north of Birmingham and hope to say more on connectivity in the Midlands and the North in the coming months. In the meantime, we are investing to increase power supply on the southern end of the West Coast Main Line, to enable the introduction of new electric services and support future growth and performance improvements on the route.

Further, my Department remains committed to a role for Open Access where it provides genuine benefits to passengers without disproportionately impacting taxpayers, which is why we provided support for Wrexham, Shropshire, and Midlands Railway’s application. However, we must equally ensure that Open Access does not have detrimental impacts upon the performance of the network. It is the role of the regulator to take access decisions informed by assessments of capacity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_233

Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps with international aviation regulators to oversee Boeing’s (a) manufacturing and (b) safety practices. \p Mike Kane: The Department for Transport (DfT) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regularly engage with international counterparts on safety issues.

The primary responsibility for Boeing aircraft is through the Type Certificate Holder and their certificating authority. The certificating authority for Boeing aircraft is the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA informed the CAA and DfT that they have increased oversight and directed Boeing to create an action plan to address issues identified which was submitted in May 2024. The FAA continue to actively monitor Boeing and delivery of their action plan.

In relation to the recent accident involving Air India flight AI171, the preliminary report ruled out the need for wider action against this aircraft type, engine or manufacturer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_234

Christine Jardine:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to pursue an aviation safety agreement with the European Union to (a) allow the mutual recognition of flight crew licences and (b) reduce the barriers faced by UK nationals seeking to convert their European Union Aviation Safety Agency licences. \p Mike Kane: The Government has been clear that it will work to reset the relationship with Europe, to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to trade. Agreements on UK-EU licensing recognition must be established through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and agreed by the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Aviation Safety. The Government and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, as the UK’s specialist independent aviation regulator, are continuing to seek expansions to the Aviation Safety Chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement where appropriate. An effective aviation licensing and approvals regime that supports UK aviation remains a priority for us, and the UK is keen to establish closer cooperation on personnel licensing where possible to ease the current burden on UK and EU personnel and industry.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_235

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year. \p Mike Kane: Across DfT (DfTc and EAs), in FY 24/25, 901 out of 909 contracts were awarded to British Companies (based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland).

Companies were determined as British Companies by reviewing suppliers addresses and operations for the contracts (to determine if they were based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland).