theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to improve oversight mechanisms for (a) executors and (b) attorneys under Lasting Powers of Attorney. \p Alex Davies-Jones: A wide range of safeguards are available in legislation to hold executors accountable for the performance of their duties in administering the estate of a deceased person. Protections for beneficiaries if executors are incapable of fulfilling their duties or abuse their positions include:

Given the wide range of safeguards, and the checks and balances the legislation provides (given the challenges faced by and onerous duty imposed on executors) the Government has no plans to reform the current mechanisms for holding executors and other personal representatives to account.

Attorneys appointed under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) are chosen by the donor themselves, reflecting their trust and personal decision about who should act on their behalf. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) ensures the LPA is valid before registering it and can investigate concerns raised with them about an attorney’s conduct. However, the OPG does not have statutory powers to proactively monitor attorneys where no concerns have been reported.

There are also important safeguards built into the LPA process, such as the certificate provider who plays a key role in confirming that the donor understands the arrangement and is not under undue pressure. There is also a statutory waiting period prior to registration, to allow for objections against registration to be raised. These measures, alongside the donor’s choice of attorney, provide a level of security within the current framework.

Looking forward, the OPG and the Ministry of Justice are progressing a modernisation project that aims to increase safeguards and improve access to LPAs, which will be achieved by introducing a digital channel to make and register an LPA, while improving the existing paper channel. This will make LPAs easier to understand, and break down barriers to starting an LPA.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of court delays on the mental wellbeing of victims of sexual violence in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Alex Davies-Jones: This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. It is unacceptable that victims and witnesses are waiting years for justice. This has left tens of thousands of victims facing devastating delays for justice, disrupting their ability to function, work, or maintain relationships.

It is not possible to supply data for Surrey Heath constituency. However, data for the Surrey Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) is published routinely as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly. The latest published data shows that, in Q2 2025, sexual offence cases in the Surrey Crown Court spent an average of 350 days in the court – an improvement down from 468 days in 2024, and 384 in 2023. At the end of June 2025, the open caseload at Crown Court for sexual offences in Surrey stood at 181, an increase from 136 in 2024 and 113 in 2023.

We are committed to creating a more sustainable justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. Upon taking office, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate action to allocate additional Crown Court sitting days this financial year, taking the total to 111,250 sitting days.

However, demand is currently so high, it is indisputable that fundamental reform is needed. That is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims. Part one of his report has now been published. We are carefully considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will respond in due course.

To support all victims of sexual violence, including those impacted by court delays, I have protected dedicated Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) victims spending in the Department this year to ensure help is available to survivors of these awful crimes.
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Gareth Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects the Court of Appeal to consider the 1998 conviction of former subpostmistress Patricia Owen. \p Sarah Sackman: The case of Patricia Owen has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) under section 9 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995.

Following approval for her daughter to act on her behalf, solicitors have been directed to lodge Grounds of Appeal by 3 December 2025.

Once these are received, and the Respondent’s Notice is filed, the case will be prepared for listing before the Court.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 86918 on Legal Aid Scheme: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, by what amount each procurement area exceeds the required minimum number of legal aid providers; and what proportion of Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency falls under each procurement area. \p Sarah Sackman: As explained in the answer to Question 86918, procurement areas are different for each category of civil law. The table below sets out details about which procurement area Ely and East Cambridgeshire falls into for each civil category and the number of providers in each of those procurement areas exceeding the minimum number. This data is sourced from contract and schedule data dated 29 September 2025.

Category of Law

Relevant Procurement Area

Providers in excess of the minimum number

Claims Against Public Authorities

Midlands and East of England

7

Community Care

Eastern

3

Discrimination

Midlands & East

3

Education

Midlands & East

2

Housing and Debt

Cambridgeshire

1

Immigration

Midlands and East of England

42

Family

Cambridgeshire

4

Clinical Negligence

Midlands and East of England

11

Mental Health

Midlands & East

23

Public Law

Midlands and East of England

13

Welfare Benefits

Midlands & East

2

The entirety of the Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency falls under each procurement area listed. It is the procurement area which will be different depending on the category of law.

In addition to local providers, national services are also available to your constituents. These include early legal advice through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, and telephone-based support for housing, debt, education, and discrimination issues via Civil Legal Advice.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps to help support people to challenge County Court Judgments issued without their knowledge in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Sarah Sackman: The Government has announced plans to implement a reform to allow claimant names to be published on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. This reform will help people who have county court judgments made against them to identify who to contact about the claim.

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) is responsible for the rules that govern the procedure for notifying people of court proceedings, known as the rules of service. It has recently consulted on changes to the service rules including to permit electronic service on parties with whom there has already been electronic communication pre-action. The CPRC is currently reviewing responses and will make decisions on procedural rule changes in due course.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to support the British Legion's Poppy appeal. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport works closely with the Royal British Legion (RBL) on the organisation and delivery of the National Service of Remembrance and the DCMS broadcasts the service, with over 8,000 watching this year’s service.

All participants and volunteers are encouraged to support the Poppy Appeal by wearing a RBL poppy, which are made available alongside a donation point in DCMS HQ during the appeal period.

I attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on invitation from the Royal British Legion. Both myself and the Secretary of State attended the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, as well as attending a number of constituency events in Barnsley.

The Department has been delighted to lead on the VE/VJ 80 commemorations.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 50272 on Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, whether her Department plans to provide support to areas without Local Visitor Economy Partnerships. \p Stephanie Peacock: The purpose of the LVEP programme is to attract investment and ultimately drive growth, training, and help places tell their own unique stories to visitors. Through a collaborative approach that unites local authorities, businesses and regional partners, LVEPs enhance the quality of the visitor offer and ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are distributed widely across communities. economy together.

37 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are currently accredited across England, covering a broad mix of urban, rural and coastal destinations. In some other places, such as Bedfordshire, LVEPs are still in development. These areas are still working through how best to organise their destination management functions, align multiple local authorities, and secure the long-term funding and governance arrangements required for accreditation.

The current geographical distribution reflects a strong spread of partnerships across regions, and the Department continues to work with VisitEngland to provide guidance, regional development support and resources to all destinations. VisitEngland offers dedicated assistance through Regional Development Leads and programme tools to help local areas strengthen governance, build capability and work towards accreditation. This support is available to both accredited and aspiring LVEP areas, including Bedfordshire.

LVEP performance is monitored locally through delivery plans and nationally through evaluation by VisitEngland. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Business Plan 2025-26 allocated £1.5 million to supporting regional and local growth. This includes working with LVEPs to achieve local growth strategies and supporting the LVEP structure. VisitEngland’s regional leads and the regional pilots in the NorthEast and West Midlands have also benefited from a direct £1.35 million funding boost in 2025/26 to help the regions attract even more tourists and investment to the UK.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual budget was for (a) Arts Council England and (b) UK Sport in each year since 2005. \p Stephanie Peacock: Annual reports, which include annual budget and number of people employed at both UK Sport and Arts Council England since 2005, have been laid in this House and have been published on the UK Sport  and Arts Council England website.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of youth councils on young people. \p Stephanie Peacock: We recognise the important role youth councils can play in young people’s lives and youth services. This includes empowering them to propose ideas, connecting them with local decision-makers, and enhancing a sense of community belonging and connection.

Each youth council is different to reflect the needs of the local area or setting. Youth councils assist government and local authorities in designing services and support that meet their needs. The best youth councils are invited to co-create youth provision or wider services focused on young people locally, ensuring public money is spent wisely in a way that addresses their needs.

This year, DCMS is running the Local Youth Transformation Pilot which will support local authorities to build back capacity in the youth space and improve local youth offers.

DCMS is committed to enabling effective youth empowerment, involving young people in decision making at all levels. We are co-producing the National Youth Strategy in partnership with young people, drawing together the voices of over 14,000 young people who engaged in the National Youth Strategy Survey. We will publish the National Youth Strategy later in the year.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the BBC Charter Review consultation will be launched. \p Ian Murray: The existing BBC Royal Charter is due to expire on 31 December 2027.

The Government will launch the review process through publication of a Terms of Reference and public consultation in due course.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 87461 on Arts: West Midlands, what steps he is taking to include policies relating to Mayoral strategic authorities within the Creative Industries Sector Plan. \p Ian Murray: The Creative Industries Sector Plan includes a universal offer to drive growth in the creative industries in any place in the UK, outlining new measures to break down barriers such as access to finance, supply of skills, and new support to kickstart innovation.

This Sector Plan has been shaped by engagement with MSAs and with businesses in the regions. We will continue to work closely with Mayors and have established a new Creative Places Group with representatives from DCMS, devolved governments, high potential MSAs, and others to create a network of policy makers committed to unlocking the potential across our nations and regions.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan spotlights 12 high-potential clusters for Creative Industries growth and their unique investment offer. The Sector Plan also included the new Creative Places Growth Fund which will provide £150m of devolved funding to six Mayoral Strategic Authorities across England, empowering local leaders to turbocharge growth in their places.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what resources have been allocated to (a) schools, (b) leisure centres and (c) youth clubs in Essex to deliver the objectives of the Let’s Move campaign. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Let’s Move campaign launched on the 3rd November and the Department has since been sharing its campaign resources with partners across Essex who are working to increase physical activity in the area and/or who have significant reach with parents of the 7-11 year olds that we are reaching through this campaign. This includes working closely with Active Essex, to share resources with schools, sports clubs, leisure centres and youth groups that will reach these audiences and point them to the Better Health - Healthier families webpage to find further information about simple ways to get active together.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of awareness of the Let’s Move campaign in South Basildon and East Thurrock Constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: The localised Let's Move campaign is designed to inspire children ages 7 - 11 and their families to build more movement into their everyday lives. The campaign, which launched on 3rd November, is being piloted in targeted areas of Sandwell, Lancashire, Essex, Blackpool and Bradford where inactivity levels and inequalities are greater than other parts of the country. These areas all receive funding from Sport England, via their place partnership programme, to increase provision and ensure those in greatest need can be active.

We have varying evaluation methods in place to demonstrate the awareness and impact of the campaign across Essex, but will not have this evaluation finalised until the campaign finishes at the end of March.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that critical services continue to operate in the event of a major internet outage. \p Ian Murray: DCMS has established business continuity and IT service continuity arrangements to sustain critical services during severe disruption, including a major internet outage. The business continuity function works closely with key stakeholders to regularly test arrangements across a range of scenarios.
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Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether science and discovery centres fall within the remit of her Department. \p Stephanie Peacock: Science and discovery centres are vital assets across local communities nationwide. Given the breadth of their mission, they do not fall under the exclusive purview of a single government department. Their work contributes significantly to the objectives of several departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

While their full scope extends beyond DCMS's direct remit, key aspects align closely with DCMS policy areas, such as the visitor economy, youth, and museums. For these areas, DCMS takes ownership over their respective policy domain, while collaborating closely with other government departments to support these institutions.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department was made by a British manufacturer. \p Ian Murray: The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.

The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work.

The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products.

Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.

DCMS does not own its offices, and therefore decisions regarding formal crockery and tableware are largely made by the property management companies.

However, to supplement this, the department did purchase some crockery in early 2024, before the Procurement Act came into place, that were procured through a British company but manufactured in China.
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Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms her Department will establish to safeguard commercially sensitive route proposals made by open access rail operators. \p Simon Lightwood: The Railways Bill will reform the existing rules for access and use of the railway by enabling GBR to take decisions on best use of the network. GBR will make these decisions against duties clearly defined in the bill, public law principles including to act fair and transparently, its own policies (which legislation requires GBR must consult on and publish), and wider legal obligations, including competition law.

GBR's processes and behaviours will need to ensure that any third party commercial sensitive information provided to GBR as part of this assessment is appropriately handled, in manner that enables all parties to comply with their legal obligations.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the removal of track access charges by operators within Great British Railways on the (a) pricing, (b) access and (c) general operations of (i) non-nationalised passenger and (ii) freight operators. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government is fundamentally reforming the track access charging framework to remove complexities and the complicated ‘money go round’ that would have required GBR to charge itself for using its own infrastructure.

To ensure transparency GBR will need to carry out cost apportionment process which will account for the cost of providing rail infrastructure and the costs of its own passenger services using GBR managed infrastructure had they been subject to charges.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) screen-reader compatibility, (b) audio navigation cues, (c) wheelchair-accessible vehicles and (d) other accessibility features will be mandatory requirements for the licensing of autonomous passenger services. \p Simon Lightwood: Certain requirements relating to accessibility of Automated Passenger Services (APS) are set out in the Automated Vehicles Act, which was agreed by Parliament in 2024. In considering whether to grant a permit, the appropriate national authority must have regard to whether and to what extent its granting is likely to lead to an improvement in the understanding of how APS should best be designed for, and provided to, older or disabled passengers. Permit holders will also be required to publish reports on how their services are meeting the needs and requirements of older and disabled passengers.

In October, I chaired a roundtable on accessibility considerations for automated passenger-carrying services with individuals from advocate groups and accessibility organisations. The discussion included the importance of public trust and digital inclusion. We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we progress with the introduction of the APS permitting scheme in Spring 2026 and beyond.

The Government’s consultation on the APS permitting scheme closed at the end of September. In the consultation, we sought input on what information should be required to be published by permit holders on how the service is meeting the needs of older and disabled people. Government will respond to the consultation in due course.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission an independent assessment of the financial and operational implications of fully devolving rail infrastructure and services to the Welsh Government. \p Simon Lightwood: The UK and Welsh Governments are focussed on transformation of the rail sector, modernising and improving rail services and delivering a more integrated, accountable, and passenger-focused railway.

As part of the wider rail reform agenda, and through continued collaborative working, we will be confirming devolved responsibilities, funding arrangements, and joint governance mechanisms, thereby strengthening accountability in the delivery of rail services across the Wales and Borders area.

A joint Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be published in Spring 2026 and will be supported by a partnership agreement between Great British Railways and Transport for Wales. This will ensure we are working towards jointly agreed shared objectives for Wales and Borders rail services and UK services serving destinations in the Wales and Borders geography.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason Welsh Ministers do not have the same statutory powers as Scottish Ministers to produce a High Level Output Specification for rail infrastructure. \p Simon Lightwood: As set out in the Secretary of State’s Written Statement to Parliament on 5 November, UK Government and Welsh Ministers are committed to modernising and improving rail services and delivering a more integrated, accountable, and passenger-focused railway in Wales that respects the current devolution settlement.

Welsh Ministers will be statutory consultees on the England and Wales Statement of Objectives, and a formal Memorandum of Understanding, which is expected to be published in Spring 2026, will codify devolved responsibilities, funding arrangements, and joint governance mechanisms. This will strengthen accountability in the delivery of all rail services across the Wales and Borders geography.

This Memorandum of Understanding will include our joint intention for shared objectives and control period / funding period planning, and a dedicated, empowered Business Unit within Great British Railways (GBR) that will deliver against those shared objectives.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the total rail enhancement planned to spent in Wales to 2040. \p Simon Lightwood: In June 2025 the Chancellor announced investment plans covering the period from 2026/27 to 2029/30. For this period £350 million has been allocated to rail enhancements in Wales.

The Chancellor also confirmed that a further allocation of at least £95 million would be made in future years. The total amount of rail enhancement funding to be allocated up to 2040 will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews

Plans for rail investment in Wales will be made in close consultation with the Welsh Government. The Wales Rail Board has been established to provide joint strategic direction for schemes in Wales, with representation from the Department for Transport, the Wales Office, Network Rail, the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales. It will be consulted ahead of the next Spending Review so that Wales’s long-term rail infrastructure needs continue to be recognised.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding the DVLA has received by providing vehicle registered keeper details in each of the last 10 years. \p Simon Lightwood: The table below shows the income collected by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by providing vehicle registered keeper details in each of the last ten years.

The law allows the DVLA to provide information from the vehicle record (including keeper information) where the requester can demonstrate reasonable cause to receive it. The fee payable by private sector organisations seeking the contact details of the registered keeper of a vehicle is £2.50 per request. The fee is set to recover the cost of providing the information and ensures that the cost is borne by the requester, not passed on to the general taxpayer.

Financial year

Income collected from the release of keeper details (£)

2015-16

11,887,277

2016-17

14,583,386

2017-18

17,024,737

2018-19

20,231,847

2019-20

23,697,387

2020-21

13,601,657

2021-22

24,412,333

2022-23

30,619,606

2023-24

34,544,276

2024-25

38,113,498
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, will the Government will make it its policy fully devolve heavy rail policy to Wales. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport and the Welsh Government have been working collaboratively on the approach to rail reform in Wales, building on recent progress with devolution of the Core Valley Lines and the announcement at the Spending Review that at least £445m will be made available to enhance the railway in Wales.

As announced on 5 November, a joint Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be published in Spring 2026 and will be supported by a partnership agreement between Great British Railways and Transport for Wales. This will ensure we are working towards jointly agreed shared objectives for Wales and Borders rail services and UK services serving destinations in the Wales and Borders geography.

This Memorandum of Understanding will set out the intended working arrangements between the two governments for the management of rail infrastructure in Wales.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to make public transport affordable for young people. \p Keir Mather: The Government knows how important affordable public transport services are in enabling young people to get to education, work and access vital services.

The Government has taken action to keep the cost of bus travel lower by introducing a £3 cap on single fares in England outside London, and confirmed at the Spending Review that this would be extended until March 2027. At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the Government’s £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.

As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, which can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has been allocated £10.6 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people.

With regard to rail, under-16s receive 50 per cent off all adult rail fares, and the 16-17 Saver railcard extends this discount to 16 and 17-year-olds. Season tickets purchased with a valid 16-17 Saver can be used for an additional 4 months after the railcard expires, to help make rail travel more affordable for young people who remain in education past their 18th birthday.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge rail ticket technology to be trialled across the Midlands and North, published on 1 September 2025, for what reason nationalised all rail services are not involved in the trial. \p Keir Mather: Trial locations were primarily selected based on them not having existing or planned Pay as You Go schemes, there being a significant commuter demographic, and where existing fares structures supported trial delivery. As a result, the lead operators are East Midlands Railway and Northern, supported by Cross Country and LNER as needed.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what performance indicators Great British Railways will be required to publish on (a) punctuality, (b) reliability and (c) overcrowding. \p Keir Mather: In March this year, we made station-specific performance information available to passengers for the first time. This shows reliability and punctuality at each station. GBR will be transparent in the operation of its passenger services. It will be for GBR, through its integrated business plan, which will be signed off by the Transport Secretary, to develop a view on how its key performance indicators are expressed. These will then be tested by the Office of Rail and Road. The Office of Rail and Road will have a role in monitoring GBR's performance and advising the Transport Secretary.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Great British Railways will be required to publish data on (a) permanently cancelled services and (b) decisions to withdraw particular routes. \p Keir Mather: GBR's planned services will be a matter of public record. GBR will continue to be subject to the closures regime for rail services.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Railways Bill on fare affordability for passengers on low incomes. \p Keir Mather: The government recognises the importance of balancing the affordability of rail fares for passengers and the cost to taxpayers of contributions to the railway. As set out in the Railways Bill and the government’s recent consultation response, in the future GBR will have significant responsibility for setting and managing individual fares, reflecting its role as the directing mind for the railway.

The new framework will be balanced by the Secretary of State’s role in setting overall parameters for fares, and will also ensure continued safeguarding of existing statutory discount schemes, including those for disabled, senior, and younger passengers, currently delivered as railcards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_195

Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of potential conflicts of interest arising from Great British Railways acting as both infrastructure manager and passenger service operator. \p Keir Mather: Government is bringing track and train together in Great British Railways, which will be a directing mind able to take long-term strategic decisions to make the best use of the network and which will deliver benefits for passengers, freight users and taxpayers. Beyond the specific requirements of the Railways Bill, GBR will be subject to legal obligations such as public law requirements to act transparently and fairly, and competition and subsidy control legislation, all of which helps ensure that GBR will act fairly, transparently and in the public interest.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_196

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish Great British Railway’s (a) Access and Use Policy and (b) Draft Licence. \p Keir Mather: A consultation on a draft Access and Use Policy is to be launched during Bill passage to support implementation of rail reform. Under the Railways Act 1993, the Department is required to publish and consult on a draft licence, and this will not change with the Railways Bill. We intend to consult on the draft GBR licence during the Bill Passage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_197

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many civil servants in her Department are working on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme. \p Keir Mather: The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) scheme.

EACE will be kept under review. It is a worthy scheme that will be considered for potential progression in the future as funding becomes available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_198

Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to set statutory response times for complaints made under the Great British Railways passenger complaints system. \p Keir Mather: We expect that the establishment of GBR will mean that there will be a single complaint process for passengers for the majority of rail services.

GBR will have to follow the minimum standards set by the passenger watchdog on complaint handling when setting up its complaint handling system. ORR currently sets this standard and guides licenced operators to provide a full response to at least 95% of all complaints within 20 working days. It will be up to the watchdog to determine if this guidance is updated once it takes over this function from ORR.

The passenger watchdog will also ensure all passengers have access to a fair and independent alternative dispute resolution service (the Rail Ombudsman) to resolve disputes with operators where passengers have been let down.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_199

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the affordability of motor insurance in areas of higher deprivation. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce, launched in October 2024, is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. 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.

The taskforce’s final report is expected to be published shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_200

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled £104 million government investment to deliver faster, more reliable travel for millions, published on 2 September 2025, how much funding has been allocated for Councils in Bedfordshire. \p Lilian Greenwood: Local Transport Grant resource funding allocations totalling £104m for the years 2026/27 to 2028/29 were published on gov.uk in September. This funding is in addition to the Local Transport Grant capital funding allocations totalling £2.2bn, which were published on gov.uk in June.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_201

Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2025 to Question 77641 on Railways: Facilities Agreements, if she will publish (a) the terms of reference, (b) the memorandum of understanding and (c) associated documents which set out the role of DfT Operator Limited in operation of the railways, (i) prior to and (ii) subsequent to renationalisation. \p Keir Mather: The Framework Document is being reviewed and updated following the change of role from the DfT Operator of Last Resort to the Operator of First Choice. The Framework Document will be published on the Government website in due course.

As the rail public sector owning group, the DFTO is a co-signatory to Services Agreements alongside the Department and public sector operators. Services Agreements set out the Secretary of State’s requirements and will also be made available on the Government’s website in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_202

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessments she has made of potential duplication of functions between Network Rail and Great British Railways, and their (a) cost and (b) impact, during the transition period. \p Keir Mather: Network Rail and its functions will become a foundational part of Great British Railways (GBR) as it is stood up. The GBR design process is underway, considering how all functions in Network Rail, DfT Operator, publicly-owned train operating companies (TOC) and parts of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) should transfer to GBR. The costs of implementation are being considered as part of the business case for GBR setup.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_203

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what per-capita level of rail enhancement funding has been allocated to Wales for Control Period 7. \p Keir Mather: Rail enhancement funding is determined via Spending Reviews rather than Control Period based settlements. In June 2025 the Chancellor announced investment plans covering the period from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

For this period £350 million has been allocated to rail enhancements in Wales, with a further commitment of at least £95 million to continue delivering Wales’ long term infrastructure needs. Based on the most recent Office for National Statistics figure for the population of Wales (mid-year estimate 30 June 2024), this total represents a per-capita value of £139.65.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_204

Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms will her Department put in place to ensure operational decisions taken by Great British Railways are accountable to passengers. \p Keir Mather: GBR will be held to account for railway performance and customer experience.

There will be a powerful voice for passengers, the Passenger Watchdog, which will independently monitor passenger experience, advocate for passengers and monitor GBR and other operators. Minimum consumer standards will be set and monitored by the Passenger Watchdog and independently enforced by ORR. ORR will also have powers to independently monitor GBR's business performance and advise the Transport Secretary.

When developing its Integrated Business Plan, GBR will be required to consult with the Passenger Watchdog and will have a continuing general duty to consider the interests of passengers and the needs of passengers with disabilities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_205

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the number of (a) civil servants from the Department of Transport, (b) civil servants from other Government departments, (c) employees from Network Rail and (d) employees from other public and private sector organisations who are expected to move from their current roles to roles within Great British Railways. \p Keir Mather: While details on exact roles are subject to further design work, Great British Railways (GBR) will continue to need colleagues from across the railway to continue the hard work that they do delivering for passengers. We will continue to engage with the industry on our plans for GBR.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_206

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the cost to the (a) freight sector and (b) economy of the time taken to commence work on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme. \p Keir Mather: The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) scheme.

The EACE was assessed as having a Benefit Cost Ratio of 4.89 against a cost estimate of £489m at Outline Business Case stage, at the point the programme was paused by the previous Government in 2022.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_207

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to progress the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme. \p Keir Mather: The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) scheme.

EACE will be kept under review. It is a worthy scheme that will be considered for potential progression in the future as funding becomes available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_208

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 86919 on Railways: East of England, if he will take steps to estimate the funding required for Network Rail to undertake detailed planning for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme. \p Keir Mather: The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) scheme.

EACE will be kept under review. It is a worthy scheme that will be considered for potential progression in the future as funding becomes available.