theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of shipping biofuel for use in bus fleets from Saudi Arabia on carbon emissions. \p Simon Lightwood: The UK’s main scheme for supporting the use of low carbon fuels (LCF), such as biofuels, in surface transport is the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The RTFO delivers greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings by mandating the supply of renewable and LCF for use in UK transport, including relevant public transport modes such as buses and diesel trains.

The market for LCF is global and allows suppliers to meet their obligation with LCF from countries such as Saudi Arabia, providing it meets strict sustainability criteria. LCFs must deliver GHG savings relative to fossil fuels of at least 55 to 65%, depending on when the production installation started operating, to be eligible. Suppliers must provide independent third-party verification that the biofuel meets these criteria.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has a long-term strategy for improving road safety in Fylde constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: There is not a specific DfT road safety strategy for Flyde or Lancashire. It is for local authorities to decide upon the most appropriate road safety interventions, based on its knowledge of an area and taking into account local needs and considerations.

However, the Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.
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Rebecca Long Bailey:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the need for improvements to the Strategic Road Network to be included within the scope of the forthcoming 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy. \p Lilian Greenwood: The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will set out the Government’s approach to core economic and social infrastructure, including transport. The Department recognises the Strategic Road Network (SRN) as a critical component of the UK’s transport infrastructure, supporting economic growth, connectivity, and the movement of people and goods across the country.

In collaboration with National Highways, the Department undertakes regular assessments of the SRN to identify priorities for investment and improvement through the preparation of road investment strategies. The third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), starting in April 2026, is currently in development.

Decisions on longer-term funding for the SRN will be made through the Spending Review 2025. However, the Government has already committed £4.842 billion for the SRN in 2025/26. The Interim Settlement, published in March 2025, details how this funding will be allocated, including priorities for maintenance, operations, and enhancements.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test examiners have left the DVSA in Ashfield constituency in the last year. \p Lilian Greenwood: During the last 12 months, two driving examiners (DE) have retired in Ashfield. As a result of recruitment campaigns in Ashfield, in the last 12 months two new entrants were successful. One new entrant has completed their training and is conducting driving tests, the other new entrant, following successful completion of their training will start conducting tests in the next 7-8 weeks. A further new entrant will start their training on 23 June. In February, DVSA also transferred one examiner into Ashfield DTC.

DVSA has received applications for its current campaign for the Ashfield cluster. The agency anticipates additional new entrants for late Autum from this campaign. DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns and will recruit as many DEs as possible.

The average and longest waiting times for a practical car driving test in Ashfield is shown in the table below:

Year

YTD Car Waiting Times (Average)

Booking Window (longest waiting)

2020 / 2021*

11.84 Weeks

18 Weeks**

2021 / 2022

15.71 Weeks

24 Weeks

2022 / 2023

22.21 Weeks

24 Weeks

2023 / 2024

19.42 Weeks

24 Weeks

2024 / 2025

22.55 Weeks

24 Weeks

* Impacted by COVID restrictions.

**Booking window was 18 weeks and changed to 24 weeks in 2021.

Over the last 12 months, the regions that have experienced the longest driving test waiting times are in the South of England.

The average waiting time in days for a theory test at test centres that serve customers in Ashfield can be found in the tables below:

Derby

Financial Year

Average Wait Time In Days

21/22

26.9

22/23

18.3

23/24

19.4

24/25

24.9

Nottingham

Financial Year

Average Wait Time In Days

21/22

29.2

22/23

18.5

23/24

19.4

24/25

26.0

Chesterfield

Financial Year

Average Wait Time In Days

21/22

23.2

22/23

18.6

23/24

20.7

24/25

27.3

*Please note, DVSA only holds data from when its new theory test booking service was implemented in September 2021. Theory test data availability is not measured in the same way as practical tests. DVSA’s relevant KPI for theory tests is the difference between the first confirmed booking date and the first confirmed test date, excluding bank holidays. Theory tests can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

I regularly meet with officials from DVSA to discuss various topics. The Secretary of State met with DVSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Loveday Ryder, on 21 May 2025 to discuss car practical driving test waiting times and other topics.
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Andrew Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times for driving tests for first-time applicants aged under 25 in Mid Cheshire constituency. \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.

DVSA continues with recruitment at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in Mid Cheshire. From recent recruitment campaigns, DVSA has had four new entrant driving examiners (DE), which allow more deployments into Northwich DTC.

A current recruitment campaign is ongoing and will close later this month.

DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

The Department for Transport (DfT), or any of its agencies, has no mechanism for providing financial support to help young people, including those in rural areas, with the cost of learning to drive. DVSA does not employ driving instructors and so has no power or control over what they charge for their services, including lessons.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a temporary Blue Badge scheme. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. Anyone may be entitled to a badge if they meet the eligibility criteria.

The Department for Transport has previously issued local authorities with advice on how they could use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas. For example, some local authorities grant parking concessions to assist their elderly residents. The same powers could be used to help those with temporary disabilities.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce delays in processing driving licence renewal applications in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) surrounding areas. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services are the quickest and easiest way to renew a driving licence. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their driving licence within a few days.

There are also no delays in straightforward paper driving licence applications which are being processed within normal turnaround times and drivers should receive their driving licence within three weeks.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer. The length of time taken depends on the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a decision on whether to issue a licence can be made.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the steps her Department has taken to prevent automated bots from monopolising driving test booking slots on the DVSA platform. \p Lilian Greenwood: To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.

On 28 May 2025, DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. Views are being sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price. The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 23 July 2025.

As part of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, announced in December 2024, this consultation follows the agency’s recent call for evidence about the rules and processes for booking and managing practical car driving tests, which received almost 27,000 responses.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities to implement speed reductions in rural villages. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance on setting local speed limits. This is designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set, whilst allowing for flexibility to deal with local needs and circumstances.

The guidance can be viewed at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-local-speed-limits
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed Aldridge railway station on the (a) economy, (b) transport links and (c) social mobility of that area. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government is providing a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement of over £1bn for West Midlands Combined Authority to invest in its local transport priorities.

The Combined Authority is currently using this funding to develop an Outline Business Case, which will make a detailed assessment of the impacts of the proposed Aldridge railway station.
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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to improve road safety on the A5 in South Northamptonshire. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government takes road safety very seriously and reducing those killed and injured on our roads is a key priority. National Highways is currently progressing a safety study on the A5 in South Northamptonshire. The study covers the stretch of the A5 from A508 Roundabout in Stony Stratford to Fosters Booth Junction. Work is funded for the study and early feasibility design phase within the 2025/26 financial year. Funding for the detailed design and on-site implementation would be considered as part of planning the next Road Investment Period.

For the A43, a further three studies are being carried out during the 2025/26 financial year. If a cost-effective improvement that reduces injury collisions is deemed feasible at these sites, funding to deliver the interventions would also be considered as part of setting the next Road Investment Period.

The three study locations are as follows:
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Chris Webb:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reviewing the regulatory framework applying to coaches. \p Simon Lightwood: The UK coach sector was deregulated by the Transport Act 1980 and services are operated on a commercial basis without receiving government funding. Where coaches provide local bus services, they may be required to comply with the relevant legislation governing those services. Operation of buses and coaches requires a Public Service Vehicle Operator’s Licence and there are currently no plans to change that overarching regulatory framework.

We are continuing to review the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000, seeking to understand how well the Regulations serve disabled coach passengers.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of current regulations on the use of illegally modified electric bikes on public highways. \p Simon Lightwood: A modified e-cycle is only road-legal where it complies in full with the requirements set out in the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983. Where this is not the case, the e-cycle is classed as a motor vehicle and needs to be approved and registered with the DVLA, as well as being taxed and insured. Enforcement of these requirements is a matter for the police, who already have powers to seize illegally modified e-cycles and to fine individuals who fail to stop when instructed to do so.

The Government is also providing the police with more powers to make it easier for them to seize any vehicle, including illegally modified e-cycles, where it is being used in an anti-social manner. Measures contained in the Crime and Policing Bill will allow the police to seize the vehicle without first being required to provide the rider with a warning. This will help get dangerous and unsafe e-bikes off our roads for good.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve road safety for to e-bikes to reduce the number of injuries involving e-bikes. \p Simon Lightwood: Everyone who cycles, whether they are riding an e-bike or a conventional pedal bike, has a duty to behave in a safe and responsible matter and must follow the rules set out in the Highway Code.

E-bikes can only be ridden legally on public roads where they comply in full with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983. These Regulations are there to ensure the safety of e-bikes both for the riders and for other road users.

The enforcement of any offences relating to cycling is a matter for the police, and the Government is providing the police with more powers to make it easier to seize any vehicle, including an e-bike, where it is being used in an anti-social manner. Measures contained in the Crime and Policing Bill will allow the police to seize the vehicle without first being required to provide the rider with a warning. This will help get dangerous and unsafe e-bikes off our roads for good.
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Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the lifting of tariffs on non-folding e-bikes from China. \p Simon Lightwood: The Secretary of State for Business and Trade took a decision on 6 February 2025 to extend the anti-dumping and countervailing measures on folding e-bikes only. This followed an evidence-based review led by the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority.

No recent discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Transport and Chancellor of the Exchequer on this matter.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to help ensure the effective enforcement of legislation relating to e-bikes on roads. \p Simon Lightwood: Only e-bikes that comply in full with the requirements of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 can be legally used on public roads.

Where an e-bike does not comply with these Regulations, it counts as an e-moped or motorbike and must therefore be registered, taxed and insured. The rider must wear a safety helmet and hold the appropriate driving licence. Enforcement is a matter for the police.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve transport (a) connectivity and (b) infrastructure in under-served regions (i) in rural areas, (ii) in semi-rural areas and (iii) across the UK. \p Simon Lightwood: Transport is a devolved matter, and the Department for Transport is predominantly responsible for transport in England only on most issues.

The government knows that integrated public transport is vital to keeping communities connected. We also know that in rural and semi-rural areas, bus services can be a lifeline for many and can be the only means of accessing services, including other modes of transportation such as rail links.

The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services and infrastructure in England outside London.

In the financial year 2025 to 2026 the government is also providing over £390 million for local transport infrastructure investment to boost growth and connectivity beyond city regions in England. This funding will enable local leaders to invest in local priorities, supporting the government’s Plan for Change. Future funding for areas outside of major city regions will be announced following the conclusion of the multi-year spending review.
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Gregor Poynton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to take steps to support investment under the Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate. \p Mike Kane: To build demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the UK, the Government introduced a SAF Mandate scheme on 1 January 2025. The scheme sets annually increasing targets for fuel suppliers to ensure a proportion of their jet fuel is SAF, starting at 2% in 2025, reaching 10% by 2030 and 22% by 2040. To help meet the demand generated by the SAF Mandate, government is committed to unlocking investment in UK SAF production. To that end, the government has introduced a SAF Bill which will enable us to deliver a Revenue Certainty Mechanism. We are also supporting the UK SAF industry through a grant funding scheme, the Advanced Fuels Fund, for which £63m of funding is available in 2025/26. Together, these measures will give the investment community the confidence to invest in SAF production in the UK.
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Andrew Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve public transport access to sports stadia for young people. \p Simon Lightwood: The government knows that public transport is vital to keeping communities connected, and able to access venues including sports stadia.

The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council have been allocated £5.4 million and £5.8 million of this funding respectively. This funding can be used in whichever way local authorities wish to improve services for passengers, including improving bus services connecting sports stadia.

Rail services are supported by requirements on train operators to plan services and design timetables to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. The government commitment to public ownership through Great British Railways will also help to deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high-quality, and efficient transport services, whilst also ensuring safety and accessibility. Under public ownership, passenger services can be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders, including by helping to improve access to sports stadia.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Bus Services (No.2) Bill [Lords] on Wales. \p Simon Lightwood: The Bus Services (No.2) Bill primarily applies in England only. However, a small number of measures apply to Wales.

My officials are engaging with the Welsh Government to discuss the Bill’s interaction with Wales. This is in the context of the Welsh Government bringing forward the Bus Services (Wales) Bill, which proposes a fundamental restructure of Welsh bus services. These discussions are ongoing.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 54187 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, how much of the £200 million allocated in the Autumn Budget 2024 has been spent in each month to date. \p Lilian Greenwood: The £200m to accelerate EV chargepoint roll out announced at Autumn Budget 2024 will be invested in the financial year 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026) to support local, en-route and home and workplace charging. At the end of May 2025 no payments had yet been made.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the level of funding for Natural England's National Landscapes programme on the number of tourists visiting protected landscapes each year. \p Chris Bryant: Tourism is a critical part of the local economy, particularly in regions like Dorset, which benefit from a unique natural landscape and internationally recognised sites such as the Jurassic Coast.

I am fully aware of the importance of protecting these natural landscapes across England.

The Government is committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices, working with local partners to manage visitor numbers responsibly, and supporting projects that focus on conservation. VisitEngland also provides guidance on sustainable tourism to help protect these areas.

National Landscapes play a crucial role in improving public health and wellbeing across England. As well as being essential for our nation’s health, Protected Landscapes protect communities from flooding, fight climate change, and foster a thriving green economy.

In recognition of this, we have committed to empower Protected Landscapes to be greener, wilder and more accessible. In December we announced plans to strengthen their underpinning legislation and introduce regulations to ensure that public bodies deliver better outcomes in Protected Landscapes. We have also extended programmes such as Farming In Protected Landscapes, providing £30 million to support projects in our National Parks and Protected Landscapes, until March 2026.

We understand resourcing remains a challenge and recognise that the Defra core grant is vital to support England’s Protected Landscapes. The Government is facing a very challenging wider fiscal context. This has meant that Defra has had to make difficult decisions about funding. Given these pressures on public finances, we are also committed to working with Protected Landscapes organisations to identify additional sources of funding and foster innovation to ensure their future for generations to come.
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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support (a) Newquay Airport and (b) other small regional airports as part of the development of the National Tourism Strategy. \p Chris Bryant: DCMS has no direct responsibility for regional airports such as Newquay, but they play a critical role in supporting an efficient aviation sector that in turn supports tourism, business travel, and the wider UK economy.

DCMS recently established the Visitor Economy Advisory Council to bring together industry leaders, regional voices and expert advisers to inform policy and ensure that the sector's growth is inclusive and sustainable. DCMS’ upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will consider how best to support the sector’s development, including the role of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) - ensuring a coordinated approach to driving growth across destinations and sectors.

The Government is committed to continued collaboration with the DfT and other relevant authorities to address challenges and continued improvement of the aviation sector for England's regional airports, and that the UK continues to be an attractive destination for international visitors and businesses alike.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Solicitor General, what recent steps she has taken to help increase prosecution rates for offences relating to female genital mutilation. \p Lucy Rigby: This Government is dedicated to addressing female genital mutilation (FGM) and all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), aiming to halve VAWG in the next decade. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is actively working to increase FGM prosecutions.

The first conviction in England and Wales for conspiring to commit FGM was obtained in September 2024. In February 2025, I welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision to increase the sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme from four and a half years’ imprisonment to seven years’ imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of the offender’s crimes.

Each CPS Area has a dedicated FGM lead with expertise in the prosecution of FGM cases to improve the CPS’ response to these cases.

The CPS provides early investigative advice to police in all FGM cases. Under the CPS and National Police Chiefs’ Council joint protocol on FGM, investigators are directed to consult with the CPS at the earliest possible stage. The protocol ensures a robust and consistent criminal justice response, and aims to improve the identification, investigation and prosecution of FGM cases.

The CPS’ prosecution guidance and specialist training on FGM support prosecutors to navigate the complexities and sensitivities of these cases.
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Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Solicitor General, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using mediation in disputes in which the Government is a party in a (a) private and (b) public law capacity. \p Lucy Rigby: The Government conducts litigation in accordance with the relevant court rules and considers the individual circumstances of a dispute before deciding on an appropriate course of action, which may include mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Solicitor General, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) prosecutions brought and (b) successful prosecutions in relation to offences contrary to Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986 in each year since 1995. \p Lucy Rigby: The table below shows the number of offences charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) by way of section 4A (intentional harassment, alarm or distress) in which a prosecution commenced from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2024. These figures relate to the number of offences charged and not the number of individual defendants.

The CPS does not hold data showing the number of defendants prosecuted and convicted of offences created by the Public Order Act 1986, including section 4A. To establish the number of defendants charged pursuant to and convicted under section 4A would require a manual review of case files and this would be at disproportionate cost.

Calendar Year

Public Order Act 1986 { 4A(1) and (5) }

2004

4,524

2005

5,349

2006

6,077

2007

6,651

2008

6,892

2009

7,151

2010

8,329

2011

8,278

2012

8,140

2013

8,269

2014

9,790

2015

10,878

2016

11,038

2017

11,969

2018

11,620

2019

10,882

2020

9,616

2021

12,299

2022

11,560

2023

10,797

2024

11,693

Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System
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Mr Paul Foster:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many cases the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information is investigating that relate to deaths of (a) armed forces personnel and (b) police officers. \p Hilary Benn: The website of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery sets out details of current cases, including those relating to the killings of armed forces personnel and police officers. It is noted that those details do not reflect every case that is being investigated, rather they reflect those which Requesting Individuals have agreed can be made public and which the Commission has assessed likewise.

This information can be found at:

https://icrir.independent-inquiry.uk/live-investigations-in-information-recovery/.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on school standards in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including Education. In addition, officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and the Welsh Government regularly meet and share best practice as do DfE Ministers and their Welsh Government counterparts.

As Education is devolved, the Welsh Government is responsible for school standards in Wales. The UK Government delivered the biggest budget settlement in the history of devolution, with £21 billion of new money for the Welsh Government to spend on public services such as schools.

In Financial Year (FY) 2024/25, the Welsh Government provided almost £200 million to support school standards across Wales. For FY 2025/26, the Welsh Government is awarding a further almost £170 million for school standards, which the Conservative and Plaid Cymru parties in the Senedd decided to vote against.
wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_385
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_385

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to improve infrastructure in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: I have regular discussions with Welsh Government colleagues on a range of issues, including improving infrastructure across Wales.

Improving infrastructure is key to this Government’s mission to kick-starting economic growth across the UK. This government acknowledges that its predecessors have short-changed Wales for years on rail investment, including because of HS2. One of my top priorities is to reverse years of historic underfunding in Wales’ rail infrastructure. The UK and Welsh governments have agreed a prioritisation of rail improvement projects developed by the Wales Rail Board and this has informed our work in the run up to the Spring Spending Review.

This government is also committed to improving our energy infrastructure as part of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out a clear pathway to delivering a secure, affordable, and fully decarbonised electricity system by the end of the decade. We are putting Wales at the forefront of our clean energy mission by supporting green energy innovation such as tidal power in North Wales, floating offshore wind development in the Celtic Sea and investing in the Celtic and Anglesey Freeports.

The Chancellor confirmed two Investment Zones and two Freeports for Wales at the Autumn Budget. Each Freeport will receive £26 million which can be spent on infrastructure improvements, while simultaneously unlocking significant inward investment. In addition, our Welsh Investment Zones and Freeports will support tens of thousands of new jobs.

The Port of Mostyn recently announced a major expansion to make the port ready for the next generation of larger offshore wind turbines, expected to create 130 jobs during construction and 300 permanent jobs to follow.

In the Port Talbot area, over £28 million of Transition Board funding will support four regeneration projects and over 370 jobs.
wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_386
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_386

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle poverty in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: The Government is committed to tackling poverty and we will achieve this by increasing living standards through our Plan for Change.

Up to 160,000 workers across Wales received a record pay rise through the UK Government’s increases to the living wage and minimum wage. For full time workers 21 and over, this means up to £1,400 a year more for these individuals and up to £2,500 a year more for full time workers between 18-20. These increased incomes are set to boost financial stability for millions of families.

We are creating tens of thousands of jobs in every corner of Wales through our Freeports, Investment Zones, support for steelworkers, inward investments and our thriving green industries.

The positive impact our UK and Welsh Labour Governments are having is clear in how the Welsh economy is changing. Unemployment fell significantly last quarter. And, since we came into office, real wages have continually increased while interest rates have been cut four times. We are creating jobs and putting more pounds in the pockets of working families across Wales.

The Government is also developing a Child Poverty Strategy that will be UK-wide, building on shared effort across all nations and regions of the UK and placing children and families at its centre.
wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_387
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_387

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to support the tourism industry in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: Although tourism is devolved, the UK Government is firmly committed to working with the Welsh Government to support Wales’ tourism industry.

In March, my colleague the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, alongside the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, visited Elan Valley Lakes. This project, which will benefit from £11.8 million investment from both UK and Welsh Governments, will enhance visitor experience to the site and safeguard the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Elan Valley.

In addition, in February, the UK Government announced £15 million in funding for Venue Cymru and the Newport Transporter Bridge. These are three key projects that will strengthen Wales’ tourism industry and attract more visitors.

I also support the millions of pounds of investment into the tourism industry in Wales made by the Welsh Government in their Budget, which the Conservative and Plaid Cymru parties in the Senedd decided to vote against.
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_1

Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending permitted development rights on farm productivity. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government’s commitment to farming and food security remains steadfast, which is why the government is investing £2.7 billion a year into sustainable food production and nature’s recovery, with funding for our Environmental Land Management schemes increasing by 150%. Our recent food strategy publication committed to a joined-up approach across the food system to supporting healthy resilient and sustainable food production.

Planning reforms are one of several levers the government is using to support farmers. As part of this, Defra hosted a series of planning reform roundtables in June, led by Minister Zeichner, to discuss planning issues affecting farmers and is now considering the feedback.
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_2

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Forestry Commission has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Mary Creagh: The Forestry Commission provides IT equipment to support staff working in a blended way, between office space and home and also a small number of contracted home workers.

Equipment is procured through best-value frameworks, including the Civil Service Purchase Platform, and is redeployed wherever possible to ensure value for money.

Estimated expenditure on IT equipment to support staff working from home or in a blended capacity:

Forestry Commission (Forest Services, Forestry England and Commissioners Office):

Forest Research:
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_3

Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding from tree planting schemes has been granted to the West Midlands in each of the last five years. \p Mary Creagh: The Government is working towards the statutory target to reach 16.5% tree canopy and woodland cover in England by 2050. Defra and the Forestry Commission are funding a significant package of grants and supporting activity across England to increase tree coverage. Tree-planting is demand-led from applicants from across England and we do not collate this information by area.

As part of the tree planting programme Defra provides funding to the National Forest Company and the Community Forests.

A breakdown covering the last five years for the amount paid by Defra to the Forest of Mercia (the Community Forest falling within the West Midlands) and the funding provided by Defra to the National Forest Company that has been directed to tree planting schemes in Staffordshire (the only West Midlands county falling within the National Forest) can be found below.

Year

Forest of Mercia (£)

National Forest Company – Staffordshire (£)

2020/21

163,197

118,418

2021/22

305,010

720,170

2022/23

543,069

319,377

2023/24

607,390

548,701

2024/25

894,722

580,943

Total

2,513,388

2,287,608

NB. Total may not match sum of individual years due to rounding to nearest whole number.
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_4

Dr Kieran Mullan:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions she has had with Serco on electronic tagging. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, has met regularly with senior representatives from Serco. The most recent of these meetings took place on Tuesday 22 July 2025. At that meeting, the Minister welcomed the improvements observed in Serco’s recent performance but emphasised the need for continued progress at pace to meet the standards set out in the contract. Serco’s performance continues to be monitored closely and we will not hesitate to apply financial penalties should our high-performance targets not be met.
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_5
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_5

Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of community service hours offenders have completed in the West Midlands in each of the last five years. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Between July 2021 and December 2024, a total of 1,272,250 hours of unpaid work were worked in the West Midlands.

Year

Unpaid work hours worked

July to December 2021

143,360

January to December 2022

352,660

January to December 2023

371,915

January to December 2024

404,315

Data from April 2022 to December 2024 sourced from the latest published statistics on unpaid work. A link can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/biannual-unpaid-work-management-information.

Data from July 2021 to March 2022 sourced from nDelius on 22/07/2025. While these data have been assured as much as practical, as with any large administrative dataset, the data should not be assumed to be accurate to the last value presented.

Data from the biannual Unpaid Work publication are rounded to the nearest five hours worked for data suppression purposes. To be consistent with the publication, the hours worked between July 2021 and March 2022 have also been rounded to the nearest five.

The next publication is due in Autumn 2025.

Data prior to July 2021 is unable to be reported on, due to difficulty in aligning regions pre and post-unification. The unification of Community Rehabilitation Companies and the National Probation Service in England and Wales took place on 26 June 2021, marking a significant restructuring of the probation system.
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_6
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_6

Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support is available to homeowners who cannot afford legal representation in disputes with housing (a) developers and (b) associations over structural defects. \p Sarah Sackman: There are a range of options to support homeowners who cannot afford legal representation in disputes with housing developers and associations over structural defects. Advice organisations, such as Citizens Advice and Shelter, may be able to provide advice or signpost to further support, and leaseholders may be able to get support from organisations that specialise in leasehold issues, such as the Leasehold Advisory Service. Alternatively, ombudsman services may be able to provide support with resolving a dispute.

There are also a variety of ways to fund or support some types of legal action, which may include disputes. These include insurance policies, and homeowners should check whether their insurance policy includes Legal Expenses Insurance, which may provide coverage for certain legal expenses and costs. Homeowners may also be able to fund a legal case through a ‘no-win, no-fee' conditional fee agreement. This is a means of funding litigation, usually entered into by claimants, where the lawyer agrees not to take a fee if the claim fails.
wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_7
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-28 conversation_7

Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the publication entitled Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, which suppliers were used to provide the Black History Month events. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The suppliers for the Ministry of Justice Black History Month events listed in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, were: