theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to work with relevant authorities to tackle the illegal (a) sale, (b) distribution and (c) use of fentanyl in England. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and nitazenes, including protonitazene, and is taking action. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes and break down barriers to opportunity.

The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.

To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets, as well as training Border Force dogs to detect a range of nitazenes and fentanyl to stop these substances entering the country in the first place.

Fentanyl and protonitazene are both listed as Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA 1971). This means that the supply of these drugs carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Possession carries a maximum penalty of up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.

The Government has recently introduced a generic control for nitazenes which is intended to reduce the likelihood that criminals can circumvent existing controls by making minor alterations to the chemical structure of nitazenes that are already controlled as Class A drugs under the MDA 1971. This legislation came into force on 15 January.

Additionally, the unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content. Law enforcement agencies continue to work with internet service providers to shut down UK-based websites found to be committing offences such as sale of illicit substances, this includes those operating on the dark web.

Further, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure fire and rescue services are adequately resourced to meet population growth in Essex. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office have no role in setting firefighter pay or allowances. This is set by the National Joint Council which is comprised of members from the Local Government Association and the Trade Union.

On 3 February 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published the Final Local Government Finance Settlement 2025/26 which sets out grant allocations for all local authorities including fire and rescue. In addition, MHCLG published the referendum principles which confirms that fire and rescue authorities will be able to increase council tax by £5 without the need for a local referendum.

The Home Office will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities.
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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of funding provided to Gloucestershire Constabulary for the 2024-25 financial year on the effectiveness of frontline policing in Gloucestershire; and if she will take steps to increase that level of funding. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Gloucestershire Police’s received funding up to £158 million in 2024-25. This was in addition to £1.3m provided for the 2024-25 pay award which was allocated outside of the police funding settlement.

In 2025-26, Gloucestershire will receive up to £168.2m, an increase of £10.1m compared to last year’s settlement. This represents a 6.4% cash increase and 3.9% real terms increase.

The 2025-26 funding settlement provides new funding of £200 million to kickstart the delivery of 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers, community support officers and special constables.
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Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January to Question 22097 on Drugs: Organised Crime, what steps she is taking to tackle cuckooing. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is clear that cuckooing is an appalling practice associated with violence, exploitation and anti-social behaviour.

Through the County Lines Programme we are targeting exploitative drug dealing gangs, including those who take over the homes of vulnerable people.

The Government’s Safer Streets Mission will continue to tackle these issues and we will make further announcements in the normal way in due course.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Greater Manchester Police to tackle the (a) prevalence and (b) impact of anti-social behaviour the city-region. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

The Government’s Plan for Change, announced by the Prime Minister on 5 December, committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ASB. This will include a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a local anti-social behaviour action plan. We will also put 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.

The Government recently announced Respect Orders which will be introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by the police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. Breaching a Respect Order will be a criminal offence, allowing police officers to immediately arrest offenders and disrupt ongoing ASB.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there have been Suffolk in each financial year since 2019. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales on a bi-annual basis in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

The latest information at the link above covers the situation as at 30 September 2024. Information on the number of police officers, broken down by police force area, at the end of each financial year (31 March) from 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Police Workforce Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669a910da3c2a28abb50d34b/open-data-table-police-workforce-240724.ods

Data on the police workforce as at 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted for offences relating to supplying small boat parts to gangs involved in smuggling people across the English channel in (i) 2022, (ii) 2023 and (iii) 2024. \p Dame Angela Eagle: As the Rt Hon Member will be aware, the recently introduced Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill proposes a new offence relating to the supply of articles for use in Organised Immigration Crime, through which we will seek to clamp down on the activities to which his question refers. In respect of charges and convictions in pervious years where these activities were a factor, this data is not held centrally.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report 2023, published in December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the 553 animals who experienced adverse welfare outcomes due to non-compliance in laboratories in 2023. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The numbers of non-compliance cases vary in any given year. The total number of non-compliance cases reduced from 175 to 169 cases from 2022-23. Between these same years there was also a 48% reduction in adverse welfare cases.

The Home Office regulator reviews each non-compliance case and provides details in its annual report (www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2023). Sanctions are applied in cases of non-compliance to reduce the risk of future non-compliance. Data regarding non-compliances is used to inform the risk-based audit programme.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report 2023, published in December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the 553 animals who experienced adverse welfare outcomes due to non-compliance in laboratories in 2023. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The numbers of non-compliance cases vary in any given year. The total number of non-compliance cases reduced from 175 to 169 cases from 2022-23. Between these same years there was also a 48% reduction in adverse welfare cases.

The Home Office regulator reviews each non-compliance case and provides details in its annual report (www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2023). Sanctions are applied in cases of non-compliance to reduce the risk of future non-compliance. Data regarding non-compliances is used to inform the risk-based audit programme.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to monitor individuals on the Prevent programme. \p Dan Jarvis: All Prevent referrals are triaged and assessed by specialist Prevent officers from Counter Terrorism Police. The launch of the new Prevent Assessment Framework across all CT Police regions gives Prevent officers more robust tools and training to triage and risk assess the various Prevent referrals they receive.

At present, if a radicalisation risk is identified, the Prevent referral will be progressed to the Channel programme, where the case will be assessed by a multi-agency Channel panel. The Channel panel is chaired by the local authority and works with multi‐agency partners to collectively assess an individual’s risk and decide whether an intervention is necessary. If a Channel intervention is required, the panel works with local partners to develop an appropriate tailored support package. The support package is monitored closely and reviewed regularly by the panel, including after case closure. The panel will review closed Channel cases at both 6 and 12 months after closure. If any radicalisation concerns are found during the review period, the case will be reopened. Panels also have the discretion to extend the period of review up to two years.

In addition, the Home Office are launching new pilots to provide additional assurance and review points within the Prevent referral journey, including for those assessed as not meeting Prevent thresholds, but where other vulnerabilities may still exist. The pilots will launch in several local authority areas this month. This includes additional assurance for the handling of cases where people are repeatedly referred into Prevent. We will also be working to achieve better assurance for cases that have been closed to Prevent but require non-CT support from local services, ensuring that re-referral to Prevent is made should any CT concerns re-emerge. An end-to-end review of Prevent thresholds is also underway and will report internally in April. This will look at strengthening our approach to repeat referrals, and ensuring clear and unambiguous guidance and training is in place for the full range of threats we face, from Islamist extremism to fixation with mass violence.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had recent discussions with the Metropolitan Police on the application for a new Chinese Embassy. \p Dan Jarvis: The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.

It would not be appropriate to comment on this process.

The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the Planning Inspector on 14 January. As you would expect, relevant stakeholders, including the Metropolitan Police, were consulted.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Animals in Science Regulation Unit on animal harm caused by incidents of non-compliance in UK laboratories. \p Dan Jarvis: In October 2024 I announced, in a written ministerial statement, that the animals in science regulator would be making reforms to its organisational design to most effectively deliver its purpose of protecting animals through maintaining compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

I am pleased to announce that those reforms are nearly complete. The effect of the changes will be stronger protections for animals; increased adherence to the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement; an enhanced quality of service for the science sector; and increased assurance to the public of the protections the UK continues to deliver for animals in science.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's report entitled Animals in Science Regulation Unit: Annual report 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of cases of failing to provide adequate (a) food and (b) water to animals. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.

All cases of non-compliance are thoroughly investigated, and the outcomes are published in ASRU’s annual report.

Data regarding types of non-compliance is used to inform the risk-based audit programme, as well as targeting educational communications to establishments, to promote compliance. The Regulator has provided recommendations to licensed establishments at p30 of the report (www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2023).

For cases of non-compliance where animals experienced adverse welfare outcomes cases there was a 48% reduction in 2023 compared to 2022
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the number of inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office is in the final stages of delivering an ambitious programme of regulatory reform to assure protections for animals are provided and will ensure we create a regulatory environment that strives towards ever higher benchmarks of reduced harm.

This will increase the total number of Inspectors from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of animals involved in non-compliance cases in British laboratories. \p Dan Jarvis: The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.

The Regulator is undertaking a structured programme of reforms. This will increase the total number of Inspectors from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the number of premises audited by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit. \p Dan Jarvis: All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under ASPA in Great Britain, are subject to the full requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). This provides for a regulatory regimen of activities that protects animals in science including facilities audits by the Home Office to ensure compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA.

Each establishment will receive an audit at least every three years if it does not hold special species and at least every year if it holds specially protected species.

The Regulator is undertaking a structured programme of reforms. This will increase the total number of Inspectors from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the duration of project licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office intends to conduct an internal review in relation to the duration of project licences for animal research under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), as announced by the previous administration in a parliamentary debate of 19 February 2024.
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Kirith Entwistle:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle domestic abuse. \p Jess Phillips: This Government is committed to tackling domestic abuse in all its forms. We have unveiled a series of bold measures designed to strengthen the police response to domestic abuse, protect victims and hold perpetrators to account.

From early 2025, under a new approach named ‘Raneem’s Law’, domestic abuse specialists will be embedded in 999 control rooms to ensure that victims are referred to appropriate support services swiftly.

To further strengthen protections for victims, in November we launched the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected police forces and courts. These will go further than existing orders, making it a legal requirement for perpetrators to inform the police of any change in name or address and imposing electronic monitoring. We will be onboarding two additional sites in early 2025 – offering access to these new orders to a greater number of victims.

We have provided an increase of £30 million, in domestic abuse safe accommodation services in 2025-26, meaning a total investment of £160m. This is part of wider work to empower local commissioners to identify needs and commission appropriate support for victims.
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Helen Grant:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has plans to increase the use of artificial intelligence in the HM Courts and Tribunals Service. \p Sarah Sackman: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

AI has the potential to enable service improvements across HMCTS, and we are exploring how it can be applied responsibly to our operations and services, including to support document processing, transcription, summarisation and translation. The use of AI in the courts and tribunals will be focused on accelerating and assisting people’s work, not automating decisions.

All use of artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Justice is aligned with the AI Playbook for the UK Government and the Algorithmic Transparency Reporting Standard. The Lady Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals issued AI Guidance for the judiciary in December 2023.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to ensure legal aid is accessible to people using the family courts in the North West. \p Sarah Sackman: With regards to scope, in private family proceedings, legal aid is available for matters such as child arrangements, financial remedy proceedings and divorce if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or is at risk of being abused.

Legal aid is also available in certain private family proceedings if a child is a victim of child abuse or at risk of abuse. Funding is subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse as specified in legal aid legislation and meeting the relevant merits and financial eligibility criteria.

A financial eligibility waiver is available for victims of domestic abuse applying for protective injunctions, such as non-molestation orders, which means they can receive legal aid even if they would not otherwise pass the means test, though they may be required to pay a financial contribution towards their legal costs.

In public family proceedings, means-free legal aid is available for parents, those with parental responsibility, and children in public family law special Children Act’s cases, including care proceedings and adoption proceedings under the Children Act 1989 as well as in related proceedings.

Legal aid funded services are provided by independent organisations who hold contracts to carry out legal aid work. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for the commissioning and procurement of these contracts. The LAA is satisfied that there is adequate supply of family law services in the North West of England.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of child custody disputes resulted in custody being awarded to the father in the latest year for which figures are available. \p Alex Davies-Jones: His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service does not centrally hold this data, this could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 08 July 2019 to Question 261492, on Criminal Injuries Compensation, if she will publish the same information for each year since 2017-18. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The information in the table below sets out the criminal injuries compensation spend for each of the years shown (as published in the CICA Annual Report and Accounts). It does not include compensation awarded under the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme.

Year

Compensation Spend

2017/18

£155,840,000

2018/19

£130,359,000

2019/20

£194,839,000

2020/21

£153,367,000

2021/22

£158,192,000

2022/23

£173,089,000

2023/24

£164,620,000
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John Milne:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she plans to take to resolve the issue where Child Trust Funds are inaccessible to disabled children who have been assessed as lacking the mental capacity to manage their own finances. \p Sarah Sackman: Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, the law requires parents or a guardian to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This includes in relation to accessing funds held in a Child Trust Fund.

On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice published the Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit explaining the process by which parents and guardians of disabled children are able to obtain legal authority if no other arrangements are in place. This can be done by making an application to the Court of Protection for an order authorising access to monies held in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA. The toolkit is available on Gov.UK.

We understand that concerns remain. We are considering the options for improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards and protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of banning first cousin marriage. \p Alex Davies-Jones: As I stated in my answer of 5 February, the Government will consider existing marriage law, including the Law Commission’s 2022 wedding report, before publicly setting out a position on this important issue.
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Layla Moran:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department consulted the Environment Agency on the flooding components of the Oxford Rail Station Phase 2 project. \p Lilian Greenwood: Network Rail consulted the Environment Agency on its Environmental Impact Assessment as part of the planning approval process for the Oxford Rail Station Phase 2 project.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether funding has been provided from the public purse to offset the impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on the East-West Rail Company. \p Simon Lightwood: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government set aside funding for public sector employers for additional NIC costs. This is in line with the government’s usual approach to supporting the public sector, as was the case with the previous government’s Health and Social Care Levy. 2025-26 allocations will be published as part of the Main Supply Estimates in the Spring.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to tackle changes in the levels of haulage costs for transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. \p Lilian Greenwood: Hauliers play a very important role in supporting trade within the UK. The Government meets regularly with stakeholders involved in trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including representatives of the road haulage industry, particularly in view of the implementation of the Windsor Framework and cost pressures.
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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with West Midlands Railway on restoring the number of services between North Worcestershire and Birmingham to six per hour. \p Simon Lightwood: The Secretary of State has not had discussions with West Midlands Trains on this specific matter, but officials have done so. We keep service provision under constant review but have to balance the costs of providing additional services with the needs of taxpayers.
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Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies on food production of the report by the Royal Society entitled Net zero aviation fuels: resource requirements and environmental impacts, published on 28 February 2023. \p Mike Kane: The report in question concluded that a significant proportion of the UK’s land would be required for fuel production if crops were used to decarbonise aviation. The UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate, which is designed to increase the amount of sustainable fuels used in aviation, prevents the diversion of resources away from food production. The Mandate includes strict sustainability criteria and SAF produced from food, feed or energy crops are not eligible under the scheme.
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Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to support funding for (a) small transport projects and (b) local infrastructure after the latest round of Levelling Up Funds is completed in March 2025. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Budget announcement on 30 October confirmed departmental budgets for the rest of this financial year and the financial year 25/26. This included a commitment of over £650m in local transport funding beyond city regions in 25/26 to ensure that transport connections improve in our towns, villages and rural areas as well as in our major cities. Allocations for individual local authorities will be confirmed by the Secretary of State for 25/26 in due course.

Funding for the Department post 25/26 is subject to a comprehensive bottom-up Spending review process that is planned to conclude in June. Local funding options are being considered as part of this review.
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Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of agricultural land required for bio-aviation fuels to meet (a) existing and (b) potential demand to allow for expansion of (i) Heathrow airport and (ii) other UK airports. \p Mike Kane: The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate scheme is driving the uptake of lower carbon fuels used in aviation. The scheme does not support the supply of biofuels made from food, feed or energy crops. SAF must be made from sustainable wastes or residues (such as used cooking oil or forestry residues), recycled carbon fuels (e.g. unrecyclable plastics), or be power to liquid fuels made using low carbon (renewable or nuclear) electricity. Given these feedstocks do not require land, no estimate has been made of the amount of agricultural land required for bio-aviation fuels, under current or future demands.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to review the effectiveness of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme for facilitating the travel of wheelchair users to education and work. \p Simon Lightwood: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations would need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. The Department has conducted a review of the ENCTS and we are considering next steps.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_296

Gareth Bacon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to fund operational trials of zero-emission aircraft. \p Mike Kane: As a private sector, the introduction of new forms of aircraft is primarily a matter for industry. The Government is however supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use.

The Department for Business and Trade is co-investing with industry through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme in R&D on aerospace technology, including projects focussed on zero emission aircraft. The budget confirmed a five-year extension to the programme with nearly £1bn funding.

In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority’s Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge is being supported by a £0.9m grant from the Government’s Regulatory Pioneers Fund. Future government funding will be considered within the ongoing Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_297

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to extend the Plug-in Taxi Grant scheme beyond April 2025. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Plug in Taxi Grant (PITG) is funded until at least the end of the current financial year. All grants remain under review to ensure best value for the money for the taxpayer. The Department will provide an update on the future of the PITG before the end of the financial year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_298

Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in remote rural areas. \p Simon Lightwood: The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them, including in rural areas. The government has committed to increasing accountability by including a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.

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. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

The Department has funded 16 innovative demand responsive transport (DRT) pilots through the Rural Mobility Fund, including the Flexibus+ scheme around Swaffham. Each scheme is taking part in a detailed monitoring and evaluation process. This will provide a strong base of evidence and good practice for DRT and a better understanding of both the role it can play in rural areas and the challenges associated with introducing it.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_299

Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 27960 on the Cycle to Work Scheme: Northern Ireland and the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5735 on Bicycles: Subsidies, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of working with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland on improving access to cycles for people excluded from the cycle to work scheme. \p Simon Lightwood: Officials from this Department regularly meet with their counterparts from the other parts of the UK, including the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, to compare notes on how each is approaching a wide range of active travel issues. The Department’s officials would be happy to explore this topic with their counterparts in the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, but in practice nearly all of the ways of improving access to cycles for those people in Northern Ireland who are unable to use the cycle to work scheme would be devolved matters for the Northern Ireland government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_300

Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to encourage the aviation industry to use more sustainable aviation fuel. \p Mike Kane: The SAF Mandate – which came into effect at the start of this year - is the UK’s key policy to decarbonise jet fuel. It obligates the supply of an increasing amount of SAF in the overall UK aviation fuel mix; starting at 2% in 2025, reaching 10% in 2030 and 22% in 2040.

We are also taking steps to grow a UK SAF industry. The Advanced fuels Fund (AFF) provides grants to support SAF projects looking to develop large scale production facilities in the UK. We have extended the AFF for a further year to March 2026, with an extra £63m of funding.

The Government has also committed to introduce an industry-funded revenue certainty mechanism. On 29 January 2025, we published our response to the SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism consultation, confirming that we are proceeding with the guaranteed strike price model.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_301

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 7243 on Driving Tests: Oxfordshire, what further steps she has taken since 11 October 2024 to (a) stop the bulk buying of driving tests by bots and (b) improve the recruitment of driving instructors; and if she will publish a timeline for the implementation of further steps to increase the number of available driving tests. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority continues to be upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.

A call for evidence was launched on 18 December 2024, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes.

On 6 January 2025, DVSA also introduced tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils.

These steps are part of wider measures announced on the 18 December, which sets out DVSA's plan to reduce driving test waiting times. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners.

DVSA’s examiner recruitment campaigns continue to be successful but, like many employers, DVSA is finding the job market extremely competitive. As it moves through each recruitment campaign, DVSA will continually review and make changes and improvements to its recruitment and selection process, and training courses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_302

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help support (a) skills development and (b) training in the maritime sector. \p Mike Kane: DfT remains committed to delivering a maritime workforce, with the skills and people it needs, both now and for the future.

DfT works with the Maritime Skills Commission in assessing the sector’s current and future skills needs. DfT and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are working with industry to future-proof seafarer training through the Cadet Training and Modernisation Programme and the Ratings Review. This will ensure UK seafarers remain highly skilled, and equipped with the training to handle new vessels, fuels and future technologies.

DfT supports 50% of the cost of cadet training through the £18 million Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund and is updating the 2017 SMarT Review and Seafarer Projections report. These reports provide the evidence base and analysis for SMarT and the UK’s need for seafarers over the next decade.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_303

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to improve connectivity between Heywood and Middleton and other towns in Greater Manchester. \p Simon Lightwood: We work closely with the Mayor and Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support their plans and strategies to improve connectivity within and across Greater Manchester including Middleton and Heywood. This has included strong endorsement and support for the successful introduction of the Bee Network, including providing £66.3m for buses in 2025/26, protecting and supporting services, and delivering Bus Service Improvement Plans.

We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Heywood and is designed to significantly enhance local connectivity. Transport for Greater Manchester is targeting delivery of this scheme in the early 2030's, with an outline business case due with the Department in early 2026.

Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport connectivity in major city regions, including Greater Manchester. Through the Greater Manchester Pathfinder Devolution Deal we are providing Greater Manchester with a single integrated funding settlement, which includes CRSTS, to ensure that funding is prioritised locally to meet local connectivity requirements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_304

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the time period between MOTs for privately registered passenger vehicles under ten years of age from one to two years. \p Lilian Greenwood: The MOT test is a vital part of keeping our roads safe. Many motorists rely on it to identify and fix potentially dangerous faults with their vehicle. Any changes made to the frequency of testing risk increasing the number of serious injuries and fatalities on our roads and must therefore be considered very carefully.

The Department for Transport published a consultation on changing the date of the first MOT test in 2023. Of those who responded 84% opposed changing the date of the first test with the decision made not to change it. The associated call for evidence also asked for opinions on the frequency of testing, and the Department has been considering those responses as part of a wider review of the MOT. In that context there are currently no plans to alter the frequency of MOT testing.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-12 conversation_305

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport will be privately funded. \p Mike Kane: The Government is clear that Heathrow expansion will be financed by the private sector.

Heathrow costs are regulated by the independent CAA, who are set up to ensure costs balance between airlines and the consumer. The specifics would need to be considered at the point proposals came forward.